A Friend in need
by Kristin4
Summary: Slater and Alex are over with, but now he has to face why. When a phone call comes in that affects everyone of the gang can they all team up to help a friend in need? Jesseslater kellyzack
1. Default Chapter

A/N: I do not own Saved by the bell or any of the characters, as much as I wish I did LOL. This story is a complete work of my own imagination and is completely false.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
She felt the fire in her face as his hand connected with her cheek. She gulped and shrunk into the corner of the room. She wasn't all that certain what was going on or how she was going to deal with this but he was drunk and on a rampage.  
  
"You're mine you slut." He shouted at her as he charged towards the frightened woman in the corner.  
  
"Please stop." She screamed. "Someone help me, please, he is trying to kill me!"  
  
"No one can hear you bitch." Came the snarled reply as he slammed his fist into her flesh once again.  
  
"Stop it." She shouted as she pushed at him, trying to force him to get away. She felt the blood trickling as she lost complete conscious.

* * *

Kelly smiled as she and Zack were eating dinner together. "So do you think Slater will ever pop the question?" She asked him finally as she set her fork aside.  
  
"That's none of our business." Zack said shaking his head.  
  
"Aw come on, tell me you don't want to know." Kelly said to her husband with a smirk.  
  
"I don't want to know." Zack said with a grin.  
  
"Alex and he are so close." Kelly said with a pout. "You should talk him into it."  
  
"Kelly." Zack warned since he knew something she didn't. "Slater and Alex broke up this morning."  
  
"What? Why?" Kelly asked shocked as her fork clattered to her plate.  
  
"Something about a phone call Slater got that made him not want to be with her or something like that." Zack said shrugging his shoulders.  
  
"What kind of phone call? From who?" Kelly asked suspicious.  
  
"Don't know." Zack said shrugging again.

* * *

Lisa sat by her friend's side as she bit her bottom lip. She knew she needed to call someone to help her, but whom could she call. She glanced down at the phone numbers she had and closed her eyes, randomly picking one. She landed on Slater's name and she sighed, knowing this was going to cause some problems.  
  
"Hello?" Slater answered his phone sleepily, it was 1AM and whoever was on the line was gonna get it.  
  
"Slater it's Lisa." Lisa said in a hushed voice.  
  
"Hey what's going on?" Slater asked alarmed, he knew Lisa wouldn't be at this time or calling him if it wasn't important.  
  
"Slater something really bad has happened and I need your help. Can you come to Chicago?" Lisa asked softly. "It's an emergency and trust me when you get here you'll agree."  
  
"All right, I'll be there." Slater said agreeing. "Since when do you have a place in Chicago?" He asked doing a double take.  
  
"I don't. I'm at Chicago Memorial Hospital. Please you need to hurry." Lisa said as she hung up the phone.

* * *

Slater jumped out of bed and quickly got dressed and packed a bag. He looked at the phone, debating on whether or not to call Zack and let him know. Deciding that there was no around it he called his best friend to let him know what was going on and where he was going. He had a feeling Zack and Kelly were going to be coming along.

* * *

Four hours later, Slater, Zack and Kelly all sat on a red eye flight heading for Chicago. They were all worried about Lisa's health and were all jumpy. When they finally reached Chicago they took a cab immediately to the hospital, not daring to find a hotel first. When they got there they saw Lisa waiting for them in front of the hospital.  
  
"Thanks for coming." Lisa said with a small smile.  
  
"Wait if your not hurt than who is?" Zack asked confused.  
  
"I knew you would bring them along with you, I guess I made the right call, although she is going to kill me for it later on. I can't tell you what happened to her, because I don't even know, but I can tell you whatever it was, it's bad. She needs help and she needs someone to look after her." Lisa said softly.  
  
"Wait a minute who are you talking about?" Kelly asked holding onto Zack's hand.  
  
"She's in pretty bad shape but the only thing she wants is to get out of here." Lisa said biting her lower lip. "She transferred out this way a few months ago I guess."  
  
"Wait a minute you have to tell us who you are talking about." Slater said starting to sound confused. He had seriously thought that it was Lisa who was badly injured and in the hospital and now that he knew it wasn't her he really wanted to know what was going on.  
  
"Promise you won't get mad that I didn't tell you over the phone? Or that I didn't call you sooner?" Lisa asked as they all walked into the hospital.  
  
"Yeah we promise." Kelly, Zack and Slater all said at once.  
  
"She's in a room right now with a doctor, trying to get them to release her, although she doesn't realize she has been her, unconscious for a week." Lisa said with a sigh as they took the elevator to the next floor.  
  
"Wait you still haven't told us who she is." Kelly said starting to get irritated.  
  
"Be patient." Lisa snapped getting annoyed. "I know you want to know but you have to wait. She doesn't look at all like a young woman, she looks like a battered body."  
  
"I know who it is." Slater whispered as he felt pain shoot through his heart.  
  
"How do you know?" Zack asked confused.  
  
"Because she would only call me if it were one person. I have been wanting to keep tabs on her because I knew she was getting herself into trouble with this guy we met last time we saw her. I knew he was trouble and I tried to warn her." Slater said looking at the ground.  
  
"Who is it?" Zack and Kelly asked together as they arrived at a room. Just then Lisa pushed open the door and everyone's mouths dropped.  
  
"Oh my god." Kelly said as she rushed into the room. "Jessie tell me you're all right." She whispered to her friend.  
  
"Just peachy." Jessie said as she tried to smile but failed because of the pain she was in.  
  
"I should have protected you." Slater whispered as he went to her other side that the doctor vacated and held her hand. "I won't let you out of my sight. Did he get arrested?"  
  
"They can't find him." Jessie whispered to him. "He's gonna kill me, I just know it." She said as she started to cry.  
  
"I won't let him." Slater said fiercely, promising both her and himself. 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I do not own Saved by the bell or any of the characters, as much as I wish I did LOL. This story is a complete work of my own imagination and is completely false.

Chapter 2

Slater stared at a vulnerable looking Jessie who was fast asleep with her head on Kelly's shoulder. They were on the flight home and nobody had said a word, each of them shocked at what was going on with Jessie. He sighed as he looked at his watch and noticed the flight was almost over. He nodded at Kelly who gently shook Jessie awake as the flight attendant announced they were about to being landing.

* * *

Screech stood at the gate, waiting for all his friends to get back. He looked shocked as he saw Lisa walk out of the doorway and smile at him.

"Hey Screech." She said as she walked up to him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her shocked.

"Well Jessie and I came as a packaged deal." Lisa said simply.

"Jessie's here to?" Screech asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah, who did you think you were picking up?" Lisa asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Slater, Kelly and Zack." Screech said simply.

"They are here to, but Jessie and I are also in that mix." Lisa said smiling at him again.

Screech looked back as he saw Slater carrying a sleepy Jessie in his arms and Kelly and Zack walking behind him. Screech took one look at her face and gulped. He turned and started walking towards baggage claim with Lisa; sure they would feel him in later on what had happened to Jessie.

* * *

Later the next morning Jessie woke up with some arms holding her tight. She started to panic, not remembering where she was or whom she was with.

"Calm down mama, it's only me." Slater said groggily, using the old nickname to help her relax.

"Slater?" Jessie asked as she twisted in his arms and saw him lying there. "Oh thank god it's you." She said as she started to cry with the relief she was feeling. "I don't want him to get me, you won't let him get me will you?"

"No Jessie, I won't." Slater promised, angry that someone had made her feel this scared and confused.

"Thank you." Jessie whispered to him.

* * *

They met with Kelly and Zack later on who looked warily at their old friend. Zack felt so helpless and lost, unsure how he could help the woman who had been his neighbor and best friend for so long. "Jessie how are you feeling?" Zack asked her already knowing the answer.

"Scared." Jessie said simply.

"Slater won't let anything happen to you." Kelly said to her friend with a small smile.

"Whose Alex?" Jessie asked shocking everyone around her.

"Why?" Slater asked with a confused look.

"Because when I walked into the living room in your dorm this girl sitting there said I was a whore for stealing away Slater from Alex." Jessie said softly, "That's what he used to call me."

"Leslie probably said that, she and Alex are close." Kelly said apologetically. " I'll go talk to her." Kelly said jumping up from her seat and walking over to the girls half of the dorm, knocking on the door.

"Who is it?" Came a muffled voice.

"Kelly." Kelly said simply back.

When the door opened Kelly walked inside and glanced from Leslie to Alex.

"We need to talk." Kelly said as she smiled at her friends.

"What does that woman have that I don't?" Alex asked simply.

"Alex she is an old friend from high school who needs some help. Slater is just looking out for her right now." Kelly explained. "They used to date yes, they were in love and might still be but right now the only thing Jessie needs is her friends."

"What happened?" Leslie asked with an arched brow.

"It's not my place to say." Kelly said simply as she left the room.

* * *

Jessie and Slater were walking towards the restaurant he had picked out for them to go to dinner at that night. She glanced over at him nervously and then back down at the ground.

"Jessie did you ever think about what we had?" Slater asked suddenly, shocking Jessie out of her daze.

"What do you mean?" Jessie asked him confused.

"Back in high school." Slater said simply.

"All the time." Jessie admitted. "But what we had was in the past. I had to move on just like you did move on."

"I haven't really moved on. I could never get over you. I used to compare you to every girl I dated and when they didn't measure up I broke it off with them." Slater admitted as they walked into the restaurant. "I think the truth of the matter is I will always love you Jessie and I guess I had always hoped that you felt the same way."

Jessie was to stunned to respond, that was until she caught sight of the man she never wanted to see again.

"He's here." She whispered softly, unsure if Slater had her.

"What?" Slater asked glancing around the place. He saw him then sitting at the bar raising his glass towards Jessie. It angered him to the point where he saw red; he was about to head over there when he felt Jessie shrinking away, frightened and confused. "Come on let me get you out of here." He said to her, trying to understand why she was so scared. "I won't let him hurt you, I promise you that Jessie."

Slater held her hand as he backed them out the door and started walking them back to the dorm, but he could tell someone was following them. He turned and that's when he felt the intense pain in his head. He was out cold before he hit the ground.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry that I haven't been able to update but I have been ill and having comp troubles. Here's your update!

Chapter 3

Jessie started screaming at the top of her lungs as she watched Slater fall to the ground. She watched as people came running over and the attacker ran the other way.

" Someone call 911!" Came the shout from a local.

Jessie cradled an unconscious Slater to her chest and took a deep breath. This was all her fault and she knew it. She didn't think that anything like this would happen to her friends and knowing that Slater loved her and was now paying for it, didn't help matters at all. She took a deep breath and decided she couldn't put her friends in danger no matter what.

* * *

Kelly, Zack and Screech all sat in the waiting room at the local hospital waiting for word on Slater. They glanced up and noticed Jessie sitting quietly in the corner and could tell her mind was up to something.

" She's gonna try and run away." Kelly whispered to Zack.

" Well then we are just going to have to find a way to stop her." Zack responded with a grin. He knew Jessie better than anyone and the one thing he knew she could never do was leave a friend in need. Grinning even more he came up with one of his many famous schemes.

" What's going through that head of yours?" Kelly asked with a raised eyebrow.

" I was just thinking that Slater might need someone to really look after him and we all know he really wants it to be Jessie right?" Zack asked with a grin.

" So true." Kelly nodded her agreement once again glancing at her pale friend.

* * *

Jessie glanced down at her blood stained clothing and winced with displeasure at the thought of whose blood it was. She took a deep breath and got up slowly, intending to sneak away. As she started towards the door she noticed that Slater's doctor was standing there with Slater.

" Aren't you supposed to be lying down?" Jessie asked angrily as she glanced at his pale face.

" Yeah right and let you take off?" Slater asked crossing his arms in front of him. " I have a concussion and that means that you are stuck sitting with me tonight and that means stop thinking of a way to protect me when you know I don't need it."

" Shut up." Jessie muttered since that was exactly what she had been thinking about. " I hate when you do that!"

" Well to bad because it looks like I am going to be doing it a lot more. I have a place that we are going to go and hide out at and there is nothing you can say or do about it. Now shut up and go tell the rest of them that I am free to go." Slater said with a smirk.

" You pig." Jessie snapped as she turned to the others who had been watching the whole exchange with laughing eyes. " This is so not funny!" She said to them with her arms crossed in front of her.

" Yes it is." Kelly nodded laughing.

" No it's not and the next person who says it is is going to get it." Jessie warned as another female came bursting into the room.

" Slater!" Alex cried as she threw herself into his arms.

* * *

Slater nearly fell backward at the impact of the terrified young woman in his arms. He glanced at Jessie and saw her looking at the ground, as if to convey she didn't want to see him kissing another woman. That thought made him smile and he pushed Alex away from him gently.

" What are you doing here?" He asked her confused.

" Well I know that you were hurt and I wanted to make sure you were all right. I do love you, you know." Alex said with a smile, thinking that he was going to come back to her now. Maybe that bump on the head had made him see that he belonged with her no matter what.

" That's nice of you to worry about me and all but um, I gotta go." Slater said looking uncomfortable as he took Jessie's arm and escorted her to the door.

" That was mean." She whispered to him softly as they headed out.

" What was mean?" He asked with an arched brow.

" She clearly loves you like nothing else and you just pushed her away from you like she was nothing. Why aren't you two together anymore?" Jessie asked him as they stepped out of the hospital.

" Because I knew I could never love her the way that she love's me. Jessie when are you going to see that the only person I really care about is you?" Slater asked her annoyed.

" What if he try's to kill you again? I don't want to lose you forever Slater." Jessie said as she reached up with her hand and gently touched his bandaged head. " I do love you and that's why I think it's best if I walk away."

Slater watched as she started to walk down the street and fought the emotions building inside of him. He knew what he had to do and he knew how he was going to do it.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

Slater stood there watching Jesse walk down the street and finally snapped out it. He shook his head and winced as pain sliced through it before he easily jogged to where she was.

" If you think that you can just walk away after telling me that you love me then you are sadly mistaken. I thought you were supposed to be pretty smart mama." Slater said with a smirk as he grabbed her arm. " You'll be much safer around people than by yourself."

* * *

Jesse stared at Slater as if he had lost his mind before she slowly smiled. She shook her head and tried to shrug his hand off her arm but failed.

" Don't you get it? If something bad were to happen to you not only would I not be able to forgive myself, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I just think it would be best if I left." Jesse said pleading with him.

" Do I look like I am going to let you just walk away, just like that?" Slater asked with an arched brow. " And since I know you are so determined to leave I have a feeling you will try and sneak away, I'll have to buy some steel handcuffs." He said thoughtfully.

" You aren't serious." Jesse said looking at him with a shocked look.

" I am dead serious." Slater said with a smirk.

* * *

Kelly and Zack walked outside and noticed Jesse and Slater talking some ways away. They glanced at each other before glancing back at the pair who were deep in discussion.

" You know they were always happiest when they were arguing with each other." Zack joked as he shook his head at them.

" What do you suppose they are talking about?" Kelly asked her husband with a grin.

" Don't know." Zack said with a shrug.

" Should we go over there and see? You never know if it's something we could help with." Kelly said with intense curiosity.

" Nope. If Slater and Jesse need our help, they will ask. Now we should get home." Zack said with a smile as he grabbed his wife's hand.

" But what if they need us?" Kelly asked glancing from her husband to her friends.

" They don't. If they do Slater knows where we live Kel." Zack said shaking his head at her determination to go over there.

" All right." She slowly gave in with a sigh.

* * *

Jesse and Slater walked out of a store a few minutes after entering it and headed back to his dorm room. She looked at him with an angry glance and then at the bag that he was holding. He had indeed bought some handcuffs so she couldn't run away when he was asleep. She rolled her eyes as she felt his hand tighten on her arm if to warn her not to try anything funny because he was standing right there. She glanced at him again and tried to free her arm from his grasp.

" Slater I am not gonna run away from you on the street." Jesse said softly hoping to get him to loosen his grip a little.

" Sorry but at the moment I think you will try anything." Slater said shrugging his shoulders and keeping his grip the same.

" Slater your hurting me." She said lowly, not wanting to draw attention to them.

Slater glanced at her and could see real pain in her eyes, he glanced at his grip and winced to see his fingers were digging into her arm. " Sorry." He mumbled and loosened his grip. " Sometimes I forget."

" It's all right." Jesse said with a sigh of relief as the pain let up with his release.

* * *

They arrived back at the dorm and Slater frowned when he saw Alex standing there with Leslie. He could tell that they had been talking about him and he shook his head. He took Jesse into the boys room and handcuffed her to the bed so he could talk to Alex about everything. He felt like he at least owed her that. When he walked into the living area again he saw Alex sitting by herself, smiling up at him.

" Alex I want you to understand why I broke it off with you." Slater said sitting in a chair instead of next to her on the couch.

" Why? I would make you a great wife Slater." Alex said softly.

" Not going to happen. Look Jesse really needs me right now and I need to be there for her. She was my high school sweetheart and the truth of the matter is I never got over her." Slater said honestly.

" Slater I can help you keep her safe if she is running from someone. Please just give me another chance to prove to you that we belong together." Alex said desperately.

" I'm sorry Alex." Slater said shaking his head no.

" You'll regret this Slater. I swear to you that I am going to make you regret the say you messed with me." Alex said angrily stomping into the girls room.

Slater stared after he with shock written on his face. He had never heard Alex go off the deep end like that and it kind of scared him a little. He gulped as he tried to think about whether or not he and Jesse should stay here or if he should move them to a hotel or something.

* * *

He watched that dorm room with an angry glare. How dare that bitch run away from him and to go back to the scumbag she kept comparing him to. He thought he had taken care of the guy but apparently this one didn't know what was good for him, well then that meant he would have to teach him a big lesson. He could do that without fail because it was necessary. Oh yeah they would both regret the day that they messed with him. He had a plan already in his mind and now it was time to execute it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

Jesse glanced at Slater who was fast asleep. Sighing softly she tried to slip her hand out of the handcuffs but it wasn't happening. She frowned when she realized he had tightened them a little so that she wouldn't be able to slid her hand through. She glanced at him again and frowned at his back. Why was it that he always thought about these things? She leaned into the pillow and closed her eyes but it was useless, she couldn't fall asleep. Slater had handcuffed her to him instead of the bed when it was time to go to sleep and Jesse hated that fact. If she moved even the slightest to try and get the key he would feel it and wake up.

" You might as well go to sleep mama. You aren't getting away from me." Slater murmured to her softly.

Jesse looked at him with a gaping look. She had thought he was fast asleep and now she saw his eyes were open and he was watching her. She hadn't moved his arm during the whole thing so that meant he hadn't really been asleep at all.

" Look Slater I just think it would be best if you let me go." Jesse pleaded again.

" Not gonna happen. I am pretty sure we already had this conversation but since you don't seem to want to take the hint let me make myself clear to you. You are not going anywhere Jesse." Slater said with a shrug of his shoulders.

" Why do you have to be so stubborn?" Jesse said with a frustrated sigh.

" Me stubborn? That's a laugh. Jesse I am only trying to look out for you." Slater said rolling his eyes.

* * *

Kelly and Zack walked into the dorm the next morning and frowned when they saw Alex with an angry look on her face. Her eyes kept darting to the door of Slater's room and then back to the floor. It was almost as if she was waiting for him to come out or for Jesse to come out.

" Alex are you okay?" Kelly asked walking over to her friend.

" Yeah. Slater and I talked last night and I really think he is starting to see that we belong together." Alex said grinning.

" I seriously doubt that." Zack muttered to himself but he walked into Slater's room anyway. He glanced at the bed and saw Jesse sitting there, handcuffed to the post. " What did you do?" Zack asked laughing.

" It's not funny." Jesse said angrily. " Can you just convince him that it would be safer if I was away from all of you?"

" Nope." Zack said shaking his head no. He looked over and saw Slater packing some stuff. " What are you doing?"

" I think I should take Jesse to a hotel or something. I don't trust Alex at all." Slater said with a pointed look at the door.

" Well she just told Kelly and I that you were starting to see that she was the one for you so I would be entitled to agree that you shouldn't trust her." Zack said sighing as he sat down next to Jesse.

" Damn. Kelly doesn't believe her does she?" Slater asked as he stopped what he was doing.

" I don't know. I walked in here after she said it because I didn't believe it. What hotel do you plan on staying at?" Zack asked shrugging his shoulders.

" Don't know yet." Slater said with a sigh. " I just know that if we don't get out of here I am going to go crazy."

* * *

He watched the dorm's with an angry scowl present on his face. Oh he would make her pay for everything she ever put him through. If she thought that she was going to get away from him than she had another thing coming. Oh he would make sure that there were some problems in her life, if she survived that is. He looked at the seat next to him and grinned down at all the weapons he managed to get his hands on. It was like he was ready for a nice little military attack and there was nothing anyone could do about it. By the time anyone figured out it was him that had done the damage he would be long gone.

* * *

Kelly walked into the room where Slater, Jesse and Zack were and saw that Slater was packing.

" What's going on? I didn't think you would want to be away from your fiancée." Kelly said with a frown.

" Well last I checked I didn't have a fiancée, since I haven't asked Jesse to marry me or anything." Slater said sarcastically as he stopped packing his last bag.

" Alex told me you asked her to marry you." Kelly said with her arms crossed in front of her.

" Alex belongs in a mental institution." Slater said seriously. " She's the reason I am leaving. I can't take the chance that something might happen to Jesse here. I don't know what Alex is capable of but I do know that I don't want her hurt. It's bad enough that she was beaten by this guy and then had to watch him attack me, I cant stand the thought of Alex doing something to her."

" Slater you don't know that she would do something." Kelly said softly.

" I also don't know that she wouldn't." Slater put in.

* * *

Later on that day Slater checked them into a hotel room under the assumed name of Mr. and Mrs. Rosetti. He didn't want anyone to find them and he didn't think there would be a problem with this name considering it wasn't common. He had told Zack and Kelly that it would be safer for them and everyone else if they didn't know where they were and he meant that. Sighing he walked around the room and took it in. It was a nice room and he was surprised about that considering where they were and how much it had cost. He glanced over and saw Jesse watching him carefully. He smiled at her and walked over, kneeling in front of her.

" Listen mama, I really care about you. Please just let me help you. Stop fighting me about this." Slater said as he tenderly stroked the side of her cheek.

" All right." Jesse said softly.

* * *

He knew they were in there and he planned on making their lives miserable. He walked in and paid the bellboy a hundred if he could find out what room they were in. He would attack them while they slept and they would never know what hit them.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Jesse looked over at Slater who was sitting in a chair by the window. He was watching her closely, as if he expected her to make a move and try and leave him or something.

"Slater I swore I wouldn't leave." Jesse reminded him gently.

"Yeah I know." Slater acknowledged.

"So why are you watching me so closely?" Jesse asked with one eyebrow lifted.

"Because I can." Slater said with a laugh. "Look Jesse I want you to know that no matter what happens at all, I care about you."

"I know you do. Only someone who really cares about me would put themselves through everything you have put yourself through. Slater I want you to know that no matter what happens next I appreciate everything you have done for me. You always were a really sweet guy when you wanted to be." Jesse said with a small smile.

"Jesse when this whole thing is resolved, I want us to try again." Slater said suddenly.

" I don't know." Jesse said biting her lower lip. "I mean I have a lot on my mind I can't think about being with anyone right now."

"I understand." Slater said, trying to hide how much it hurt him to say that. The truth was he really wanted to be with Jesse and he would do anything to make it possible. He knew in his heart that she was the one that he was meant to be with. Just like Zack knew that Kelly was the one for him.

* * *

Zack sat staring at his wife as she talked to Alex on the phone. He could tell by the look on her face that she was really worried about her friend. He gulped when he saw her eyes widen a little and he knew that Alex was up to something really bad. It was a good thing that Alex didn't know where Slater was at the moment because Zack had a feeling if she had known she would be there bugging him like crazy.

* * *

He was watching the hotel very carefully. There had to be some way he could get inside and get to Jesse. Oh was he going to make that bitch pay for going back to the man that caused all their problems in the first place. She was going to learn that no one crossed him. She was his property and he was going to make her realize that sooner or later she would belong only to him and she would do everything he told her to. He knew that Slater had a girl who wanted him just as bad as he wanted Jesse. He grinned as he thought up a way to use that to his advantage. This could be a lot of fun.

* * *

Alex held the picture of her and Slater close to her heart. She wanted him to realize that they belonged together. That Jesse was nothing but a woman who couldn't keep her man happy. Alex pulled the framed photo away from her chest and softly kissed Slater's face. She couldn't wait until the day he made her Mrs. Slater. She laughed softly to herself as she pictured the kids they would one day have together.

* * *

Kelly looked at her husband and took a deep breath.

" I think we need to get Slater and Jesse out of here. I mean out of the city and maybe out of the state. I don't think that Alex is very stable." Kelly said as she crossed her arms in front of her. It killed her to say that about her friend, but Jesse was her friend first and she had already been through way to much. As much as Kelly loved Alex she also believed that Slater and Jesse belonged together.

"Well where would you suggest that they go? Neither of them have enough money to stay in hiding for to long." Zack pointed out.

"What about Jesse's dad? He owns that hotel with security. He would do anything for his little girl." Kelly pointed out.

"That's true. I mean even though he is remarried now he would love to have Jessie stay with him. I still have his number somewhere, I could give him a call." Zack said nodding his head.

" You know when they are there they might just…" Kelly started only to be interrupted by Zack.

" Don't even go there." Zack warned.

"Why not?" Kelly asked. "They belong together just like you and I do."

" That may be but I don't think Jessie is ready for that kind of commitment." Zack said with a sigh.

"Okay." Kelly said not really listening.

" I mean it Kel." Zack said knowing his wife wasn't really listening.

* * *

1 Day later…

Jessie woke up in the hotel room her dad had given to her and Slater with a smile on her face. She felt more safe and relaxed out of the city. She knew she had hurt Slater by not discussing a possible future between them but she wasn't sure she was ready for that. Sighing she laid in bed for a little while before deciding it was time to start her day.

* * *

He was angry, even more than he had ever been. She had given him the slip again but not for long. He had connections and his connections would tell him exactly where she had gone off to. If anyone thought they could protect her from him than they were wrong. He would find her and when he did he would make her pay for all the trouble that she had caused him. Oh yeah she would pay big time.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Jessie walked out onto the balcony and stared out. It was a gorgeous view and she was really happy to be spending time with her father. Sighing she turned back in and saw Slater sitting on the couch watching T.V. Shaking her head she walked back inside and sat down next to him.

"I know I have caused so much trouble in your life Slater, will you forgive me?" Jessie asked as she faced him with a worried look on her face.

* * *

Slater shut the television off and turned to look at her seriously. "When are you going to learn that I don't care about what's going on right now? I love you Jessie and I will always love you." He said annoyed as he got up and walked towards the bathroom. "I'm gonna get changed and then maybe hit the pool. You wanna come with me?"

"No that's all right." Jessie said looking at the ground, feeling really guilty.

* * *

He was happy when he saw Slater down by the pool. His sources had come through for him yet again. That meant that Jessie was alone in the hotel room and he could finally get his hands on her. She was about to find out what pain was.

* * *

Alex made her way up to the hotel room that she had found out they were in. Fixing her skirt she knocked softly on the door and waited for Slater to answer it. She rolled her neck to make sure it was loose and put a come hither smile on her face.

* * *

Jessie heard the knock on the door and went to answer it with an unsure look on her face. Sighing she tried to tell herself that everything would be okay and that she was only imagining the bad feelings going through her gut. She looked through the peephole and frowned when she saw that it was Alex, the girl from the dorm who had the hots for Slater. She bit her lower lip and walked away from the door, determined not to answer it because she didn't feel like dealing with any more problems.

* * *

Alex frowned when no one answered and decided to wait in the hallway for him to return, figuring he just wasn't in there. She shrugged and took a seat next to the door and waiting with her arms crossed in front of her.

* * *

He walked through the hallway of the proper floor, ready to take on Jessie with everything he had in him. It was time to make her pay for disobeying him. He frowned when he saw a woman sitting in the hallway next to her door and kept walking by, trying to think of an excuse to get into Jessie's room without any problems from the woman. That's when he realized who she was, he grinned and tried to think of exactly what he should do to convince her to help him out. Oh his plan was working out better than expected and if everything went well he would make sure that Jessie was him forever.

* * *

Slater walked through the hallway and then grimaced when he saw Alex sitting outside his door. Frowning he walked over to her and then tried to be polite, but he was worried about how she might have found him and worse yet if she had talked to Jessie yet.

"Alex what are you doing here?" Slater asked with his arms crossed in front of him.

"I came because I am tired of everyone pretending that there is nothing between us. Now I know that Jessie is a little upset that her fiancé cheated on her but that was no reason for you to take off with her. He loved her very much and I believe that he has every right to see and talk to her, after all they have been planning their wedding for quite some time now." Alex said shrugging her shoulders.

"Jessie doesn't have a fiancé." Slater said with a groan.

"That's not what he told me." Alex said shrugging her shoulders.

"When did you talk to him?" Slater asked frowning. There was no way that this guy could have found them but just in case that he did.

"A few minutes ago, I helped him get into the room to talk to Jessie." Alex said with another shrug and a grin.

* * *

Slater stared at her and then gulped. He pushed her out of the way as he unlocked the door and ran inside to see the hotel room in complete shambles. Hr groaned and grabbed the phone to call security as he looked around for Jessie. He couldn't find any sign that she was still there and that terrified him. The son-of-a-bitch had her and that made him even more angry than when he saw her in the hospital. He could only imagine what she was going through at the moment and what that jerk was doing to her.

* * *

Jessie stared at him with terrified eyes as she tried to loosen the ropes that tied her wrists together behind her back. She tried not to let the tears fall, tried not to let him see her weakness but she knew he already knew how scared she was. She gulped and looked down at the ground in front of her. He had her and he would make her pay for everything, she already knew that was going to happen.

* * *

Kelly and Zack rushed to the airport to fly out to meet Slater. They both looked at each other with terrified eyes and realized that they might never see Jessie again. They climbed aboard and sat next to Lisa and Screech. They gang was getting back together to search for one of their own, their friend in need.

* * *

Slater stared at the wall as he listened to the voices all around him, he didn't comprehend what they were saying but he didn't care. Jessie was gone and it was his entire fault. He shouldn't have left her alone in the room, not at a time like this. He would do whatever it took to get her back, no matter what it cost. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Jessie couldn't believe he had her. She gulped as she watched him eye her with deadly daggers shooting at her. She closed her eyes, knowing she was only imagining things and hoping that this was all a dream. She opened her eyes again and saw him watching her with his arms crossed in front of him. She shook her head, hoping that his image would disappear but it didn't, she knew he was real and she was in real trouble.

* * *

Slater picked up Kelly, Zack, Lisa and Screech at the airport and they all went back to the hotel, no one said a word. Kelly glanced at everyone sitting in the car and wanted to say something but nothing seemed to come to mind.

* * *

Zack glanced at his friend and could tell that he was hurting worse then he wanted to let on. Sighing he held his wife's hand as they sat in the car and waited to arrive at the hotel. They knew the police were all over this matter but for some reason that didn't seem to ease anyone's minds.

"Look Slater I hope that you aren't blaming yourself for what happened because it wasn't your fault. Alex was the one who showed up here and helped this guy out." Lisa finally spoke up from the seat beside Slater.

"Lisa I don't want to talk about it right now." Slater said softly.

"Well I do. Slater what happened was something that was going to happen regardless of who she was with. Sometimes you can't control life and make things go the way you want them to." Lisa said getting angry. "This guy has Jesse and your sitting there feeling sorry for yourself rather than concentrating on what to do about what's going on."

* * *

Kelly gaped at Lisa from the backseat. She didn't think anyone would speak to Slater like that right now considering everything. She snickered a little under her breath, knowing that Lisa was just trying to get Slater's attention off of everything and that she wasn't really angry.

* * *

Jessie groaned as she came to again feeling the intense pain radiating throughout her body. She knew what had happened before she was even fully conscience. She had taken another beating and most of it was probably while she was out cold. She groaned again and tried to regain some composure but it was no use. She opened her eyes fully and looked at Alex who was standing right there. She gulped as she realized the full extent to what was going on. She had a woman standing in front of her that hated her guts, plus a man who loved to watch her suffer above everything else.

* * *

Alex looked down at the woman lying on the bed. She couldn't believe the sight in front of her but at the same time she didn't really care. She wanted Slater and there was no one or nothing that would stand in her way. She grinned as she saw the pain in Jesse's eyes.

"Please help me." Jesse whispered knowing her plea would fall on deaf ears. "I don't want Slater, you can have him. Just please get me away from this guy."

"I don't believe you." Alex hissed with an angry look. "Besides he loves you to much to let you go. You should know that by now."

"I don't love him. How can he possibly love me and beat me so badly? Please Alex, I will do anything if you just help me out." Jesse pleased one last time.

Alex turned her back and walked away not feeling one little ounce of pity or regret for the poor woman lying there helpless on the bed.

* * *

He watched Alex turn her back on Jesse and laughed as hard as he could. Oh his plan was working out better than he even thought was possible. His little Jesse was going to suffer and little did his new accomplice know that her little Slater would to.

* * *

Kelly sat staring out at the view but not really seeing it. She could only think about Jesse who was helpless and probably hurting right now. Sighing she turned her attention to Zack who was looking at old photo's.

"It's hard to believe that the smart one grew up to end up like this." He said softly. "She was always so talented and she had so much brain power. How Kelly could she let herself be roped into an abusive relationship? I thought she was smarter than that."

"She is honey." Kelly said as she walked over and put her hand on his shoulder. "It's just that sometimes love makes you blind. When you think someone loves you or that you love someone it doesn't matter how smart you are, all the brains in the world can't make you see what's right in front of you."

"She saw it way to late and now she may pay with her life. I can't let that happen. You and I both know that if she dies, we will lose Slater to." Zack said with a sigh. "This guy is ruining so many lives and I don't even know what he looks like."

"It will be all right Sweetie." Kelly said as she kissed his forehead. "You'll see, everything will be just fine."

* * *

Slater stared at the old photo of him in a leotard when he had worked hard to win Jesse back after a fight. Lisa had pretended to be Jesse and they had acted out a small play. Right after that performance Zack and Screech took over so that Zack could make up for another one of his mistakes. The big thing was he ended up with his true love, Slater couldn't say the same. He glanced up at the full moon and prayed that Jesse would be all right, that no one would let anything bad happen to her.

* * *

Lisa and Screech were playing cards when Lisa felt the chill run up her spine again. She knew what that chill meant and it worried her. She had, had the same thing before she had gotten the phone call about Jesse being in the hospital and the fact that she was getting it again only meant that Jesse was hurting again. They had to find her and soon, Lisa could tell she wasn't going to last to long where she was. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jesse saw them leave the room, thinking that she was to weak to try to escape, and they were right. She felt like her whole body was made of lead and there was no way she could get away. She struggled to sit up and couldn't even make her body do that, she was in to much pain. She sighed and then winced when that hurt her, she was stuck there and there was nothing she could do about it.

* * *

Slater felt a stab in the heart as he looked over and saw Alex walking towards him with a come hither grin. He wanted to wring her neck for everything she had put Jesse through but he wasn't going to lay a hand on her. He turned his back to her and started to walk away only to feel her hand grab his arm.

"If I were you I would back off and never talk to me again." Slater hissed between his teeth as he yanked his arm free.

"Slater now that Jesse is gone we can be together." Alex said desperately.

"It's never going to happen. Alex I hate you for what you did to an innocent woman." Slater said forcefully. "Jesse did nothing to you, she didn't even know who you were. All she did was need help from a friend and that's what I was giving her. You helped a monster get his hands on her and now there is no telling what kind of shape she is in. I hope you're happy because no one will ever forgive you for this." Slater said as he pushed away from her and walked straight towards the elevators to head to his room.

* * *

Alex watched Slater walk away and felt the hatred inside her for Jesse rise up. She bit her bottom lip to keep from yelling in frustration and then turned and walked towards the exit. She was going to make sure Jesse felt pain for everything she had ruined for Alex.

* * *

Jesse closed her eyes against the images that were in front of her. He was trying to show her nasty photos of his prior girlfriends that he beat up. She gulped as she realized that was why he had brought a camera into the room, he was going to add her to the collection. She opened her eyes, determined to show him that he didn't scare her one bit. She could tell he was a little surprised by her determination but she also knew that it only made him madder.

* * *

Kelly and Zack looked at Lisa as she laid out her plan. She had a feeling that Jesse had to be somewhere close by. But Lisa also made it clear that Jesse was hurting again, it was something she was feeling.

"Do you know how badly hurt she is?" Slater asked walking into the room.

"We didn't hear you come back." Kelly said jumping to her feet.

"How bad?" Slater asked again, his attention fully on Lisa.

"I don't know." Lisa whispered honestly. "I just feel like she needs our help. That she is in pain and I don't know how to help her."

"We'll figure it out together Lisa." Kelly said with a small smile for her friend.

* * *

Jesse felt the hot raw pain shooting through her body as he beat her with the belt. It was as painful as she remembered from the last time he had done it. She refused to cry out, refused to let him see how he was hurting her. She knew it would make him angry but it was her pride that refused to give in to him. She bit her bottom lip and stared into his hatred filled eyes with as much determination as she could muster.

"You'll never break me." Jesse said as determined as she had ever been.

"Well then maybe I can." Alex said walking into the room.

"Why do you care what happens to her?" He asked turning towards her. "She is my problem, not yours anymore. Go to your little boyfriend, and keep him away from here as long as possible. We both know he knows about this place and if he ever decides to search here he might get hurt."

"You wont touch him." Alex said with as much conviction as she could put into her voice.

"You don't know that." He laughed at the terrified look that crossed her face. He turned his attention back to Jesse. "That would hurt you wouldn't it? To know that your lover was killed because you were disobedient."

"I am not a dog." Jesse spat angrily.

"Could have fooled me." Alex said snidely.

* * *

Slater had a bad feeling that there was something that he was missing. Something that could lead him to Jesse if he could only think about what it could be. He turned and looked at Zack and Kelly who were looking at the view and closed his eyes. He had hoped that one day he and Jesse would be holding hands, which she would be his wife and they would be together forever. Now he stared at his best friends and felt suck a jealousy that it scared him. He envied what they had and wished he had the chance to have the same thing.

* * *

Jesse closed her eyes and tried to tell Slater that she was all right. She wanted to make sure he didn't search for her, that he didn't blame himself, she hoped that her heart could connect to his but she knew it was useless. She opened her eyes and saw what was coming next. She gulped and took a deep breath, ready to face the next onslaught of pain. She knew that no matter what she said or did he was going to make sure she felt the intensity of the pain and the way Alex was watching her she knew that Alex was enjoying this to much to help her. She groaned as she braced herself, knowing that in the end she would be bleeding and broken but she would not give him the satisfaction of knowing she was hurt. She braced herself and waited patiently for that first blow to strike.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Slater looked over at Kelly and Zack and could tell that they were trying to figure out what to say to him. He felt bad that he was putting everyone on the spot but at the same time all he wanted was Jesse back. He groaned as he looked over and saw Screech walking into the room with the look on his face that said he had a plan. He shook his head and cocked an eyebrow at Zack to see if he had a clue what this could be.

"Hey guys I have a plan." Screech said as he took a seat across from everyone.

"Oh yeah and what's that?" Kelly asked cocking her eyebrow at him.

"What if we used Alex to get to Jesse? I mean Alex has to be working with Jesse's ex and therefore she must know where he is keeping her." Screech said as if he thought everyone was going to think that was stupid.

"You're a genius!" Kelly said as she jumped to her feet. "Why didn't any of us think of that?"

"Because we were to busy looking for her or moping around." Slater said with a renewed sense of hope.

* * *

Jesse looked over at the two people who belonged together more than anything in the world. She had a deep welling regret that she had said what she said to Slater. If she could take anything back at that moment, that would be what she wanted to take back. She really did love him and she wished that she could see him more. She gulped and tried to remember why she had told him she wasn't ready to see him full time yet. She groaned as she noticed they were walking towards her and tried to think of a way to get them to let their guard down.

* * *

Alex knew something was up just by the way Jesse kept looking at her. She bit her bottom lip and contemplated telling on her. Deciding against it she grinned and walked towards the bed with an angry scowl on her face. This was going to be the funniest thing she had done in a while and it was going to make her feel so much better about the way things were going in her life. If this little miss goodey two shoes thought she could just come in and ruin other people's lives well she was about to learn the hard way that it wasn't right and it wasn't fair.

* * *

Slater looked at Kelly as they walked towards the meeting place that was set up for him and Alex. Kelly was going to hide behind some bushes to make sure that things went smoothly and then start following Alex after the meet. They were all hoping that this worked because it was the last idea any of them had. It was the last resort.

* * *

Alex laughed as she hugged her partner in crime goodbye and took off to meet up with Slater. She knew that he would have a change of heart the moment his mind cleared away from that little slut and now she had her chance. She was going to make sure that he saw that she was the one for him forever and no one else could compare.

* * *

Slater waited patiently on the edge of the fountain for any sign of Alex. Kelly was equipped with a radio and a cell phone to keep in touch and Zack, Lisa, and Screech were all in separate vehicles ready to start things off. Kelly was the foot person until she got to her car and Zach was on the look out until then. Slater jumped a little when he heard Alex's voice behind him.

"Hey there." She said with a sweet smile.

"Hi." Slater said choking on the bile that was rising in his throat. He felt dirty and scummy for talking to this woman who was hiding and hurting the love of his life.

"So what did you want to discuss?" Alex asked flirting with him.

"Look I am not ready for a full time relationship right now but I do want to take things slow." Slater said hating every word he was forced to pass his lips.

"I understand, but eventually you'll see that you made the right decision." Alex said smirking. "I am so glad you came to your senses."

"Yeah, well, not having that woman around made me realize a few things. I guess I really was blinded by our past and not seeing who she was now." Slater said proud that he was pulling this act off and knowing he would be telling Jesse everything and hoping she understood why he said it.

"Well I am so glad you realized all of this before it was too late for us." Alex said with a mock admiration. "I guess I should be grateful that little hoochey managed to get out of the way."

"Yeah well I know I am." Slater said with a sigh. "Look I really hate to just leave it where it is but I need to go and spend some time with that woman's dad. It's the only way I am going to keep getting the hotel room for free, if you get my drift. Besides all the others flew in and I have to keep up a pretense about this, I told them I was just going out to clear my head, if they find out otherwise I could be in big trouble."

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I'll see you later baby." Alex said winking and then walking off.

* * *

Now it was time for the games to really begin and boy did they. Kelly started things off with the first task of following and boy did she enjoy playing detective with everyone. Zach took up where Kelly left off in his car, eventually Lisa or Screech would take over.

* * *

Slater and Kelly raced towards the car they had parked and ready to go. They were going to start driving in the directions way behind the others so they could be there as backup for when it was time to rescue Jesse. This time they were sure this was going to work because it just had to. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Slater bounced his knee nervously as he rode beside Kelly on the way to rescue Jesse. Zack had called in that Alex was making all kinds of weird twists and turns and that worried all of them. It was almost as if she knew their plan and knew that they were following her. Slater glanced over and watched Kelly bite her lower lip and had to think of someway to repay all his friends for helping with this.

* * *

Jesse looked up when she heard him coming towards her. She could tell by the look on his face that he had something bad planned for that moment. He smirked as he slowly made his way towards the thin mattress she was lying on. She sucked in a deep, ragged breath as she struggled for her composure and struggled to find a way to keep her fear hidden from him if she could.

* * *

Slater had a really bad feeling as Zack called them to let them know Alex had stopped at a cabin way far out in the middle of nowhere. As they arrived they met up with Screech, Lisa and Zack and could tell they were all worried.

"Who knows what this guy has in there. I say one of us heads out and gets the cops and the rest of us stay put surrounding the place to make sure no one leaves." Lisa said trying to be the voice of reason.

"What if he's hurting her in there? What if he isn't even here with her?" Slater asked worriedly.

* * *

Kelly studied both of her friends and considered both points. She tried to think of something that would pacify them both.

"All right, what if one of us goes for help and the rest of us find a way inside. We can do recon and before the other person arrives at a police station we can call them and let them know if she is really in there. If she isn't we retreat and come up with another plan." Kelly said finally watching all her friends faces.

"It sounds like the only option we may have." Zack agreed as he studied the small one story shack.

"Do you think she's safe in there?" Slater asked softly.

"I can't answer that question honestly." Kelly said as she patted his shoulder gently.

"I love her so much. I don't think I ever really realized how much she meant to me until she came back into my life. It's hard to believe we were ever apart, I don't want to think of not having her in my life anymore." Slater said as they made a slow approach.

* * *

It was decided that Lisa would be the one heading back for help since she was the one who would probably be more convincing. Screech would wait outside in one of the cars in case an outside distraction was needed. Zack headed around to the back and Slater and Kelly each took a side. Where Screech was he had a clear view of the front of the shack so he could let them know if anyone entered or left through the front.

* * *

Lisa drove as best as she could knowing her friends were probably putting their lives on the line. She blinked quickly as she felt the tears welling in her eyes. She had brought Jesse back into their lives with this situation and even though she thought it was what was best for Jesse, she had to wonder if she hadn't just put all of her other friends in danger. Maybe it would have been better if she had just helped Jesse get help from the police of some shelter that could help her disappear. She sucked in a deep breath and tried her hardest to concentrate on the road and not on the guilt seeping into her brain.

* * *

Jesse heard something outside but could tell that her captor hadn't. She could see his full attention was on telling her exactly what he wanted to do to her. She looked up as Alex walked into the room. She saw the smirk on her face and knew that it could only be there for one reason and one reason only. Slater had given in and decided to go back to Alex. What Jesse had said to him had probably cost her any chance at happiness with him. She felt the pain shooting through her heart and hoped that she would be killed at this moment because she didn't think she could survive without Slater.

* * *

Kelly glanced in through a small window and saw Jesse tied to the bed with blood all over her. She dropped out of sight and pulled out her phone. She quickly dialed Lisa's cell to let her know it was a confirmation, Jesse was inside and she was hurt.

"Lisa." Lisa answered quickly.

"It's confirmed. She's inside, I can see her and she's hurt, badly." Kelly whispered. "I gotta go, time to call the others." Kelly said as she hung up and dialed Zack and then Slater giving them the good and the bad news.

* * *

Slater felt the relief shoot through him at knowing she was in there but at the same time the anger was building, she was hurt and she needed him. Kelly had told them that she couldn't see the entire room so she didn't know if anyone else was in there. He could only pray that this time he could take out there worst enemy, and he could help Jesse.

* * *

Alex could see the pain crossing Jesse's face and for an instant she felt a pang of guilt. She frowned at herself trying to put her finger on what was going on but couldn't. She shrugged off her feelings as she smirked at her worst enemy lying barely conscious at this point. It was then that she knew what was wrong, the blood, the bruises, the pain it all reminded her of a friend who had been killed by her abusive boyfriend. Alex was contributing to the abuse that Jesse was feeling. She remembered the terrified way her friend would describe her life and her fears before she was eventually killed by him. Alex couldn't let that happen again, even if it meant she wouldn't have Slater, she owed that much to her friend. At the same time she thought that she shrugged it off, Slater was hers and no one was going to take him away from her.

The plan was set now it was time to put it into action. They could only pray that it would work and no one else would get hurt.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The plan was simple, all three of them were going in and they were going to ambush the two of them before getting to Jesse. They called Screech and told him to make a distraction towards the front that would hopefully draw their attention that way. Kelly and Zack were going to take down the captors while Slater would make his way inside and get Jesse out as quickly as he possibly could. They didn't want to have to hurt anyone but at the same time Alex and this sick guy deserved everything they got and more. Lisa had already called and said she was on her way with the cops but it would take awhile to get to them. They knew they didn't have the time because it was clear that the man was ready to kill Jesse and Alex was ready to help him do whatever was necessary.

* * *

Jesse closed her eyes against the emotions that were welling up inside of her. The only thing she could think of was that she wanted to die at that moment. She had pushed Slater away and now he had decided that Alex was what was right for him. She could feel eyes boring into her and no matter how hard she tried to fight off the sensation she could feel the need to throw up rising within her.

* * *

Screech started the distraction process and the plan was put into motion. Slater waited patiently and to his relief both Alex and the sick man came outside. As Zack and Kelly started in on them Slater slipped into the cabin and into the back room where Kelly had said Jesse was. He took one look at her and felt the bile rise into his throat. He quickly swallowed and walked over to the bed and started releasing her bindings.

* * *

Jesse felt the ropes loosening and opened her eyes slowly to see Slater standing there. She knew that the confusion she was feeling was reflected on her face but she wasn't sure how to disguise it at the moment. She was to weak to move and felt Slater pick her up into his arms and carry her towards the front of the cabin. She heard sirens in the distance and felt relief well inside of her.

* * *

Slater carried Jesse out and saw Zack lying on the ground and Kelly kneeling beside him. Screech was holding onto Alex as police and Lisa came speeding into the area.

"Where is he?" Slater asked holding onto a bleeding Jesse.

"Don't know." Screech said shaking his head. "He got away from us, had a knife and took Zack down."

* * *

Kelly was putting pressure on Zack's wounds as paramedics and police rushed forward. Screech gave them a quick run down and one paramedic tended to Zack as another tended to Jesse. Kelly could see that Slater wasn't letting her go anytime soon and tried to smile but she was more worried about her husband than anything.

"Is he going to be okay?" She asked softly.

"Who are you to him?" The paramedic asked while examining the wound.

"His wife." Kelly responded with the same amount of proud she always got when she said that.

* * *

Slater sat beside Jesse's bed in the hospital just like he knew Kelly was doing for Zack. He held her hand and waited for her to wake up again. The doctors said her injuries were pretty severe and they were going to keep her in the hospital for a minimum of a week. Slater already knew that when Jesse found out she was going to freak out and demand to be released. He smiled at the thought of what she was going to be saying and then shook the smile away as he studied the bandages on her head.

* * *

Jesse could feel someone holding her hand but she couldn't make herself wake up. She felt way to weak and she just wanted to sleep. For the first time in days she felt safe and didn't feel pain shooting throughout her entire body. She snuggled into the pillow a little more and could hear Slater's voice but that was impossible. He had decided Alex was better for him hadn't he? Jesse suddenly remembered that it was Slater that had freed her from the cabin but that had to have been an illusion.

* * *

Slater could see Jesse was struggling with something on her mind, he could always tell when she was. He caressed her head gently and spoke softly in her ear.

"It's okay Jesse, I'm here and you're safe." He whispered softly as he held her hand. "I'm not leaving you alone, ever again."

* * *

Jesse heard what he was saying and wanted so badly to believe them but that was impossible. No he was going to leave her because he didn't love her anymore. He loved Alex and she knew it was true. She finally managed to force her eyes open and they focused on Slater. The confusion must have clouded over her eyes and shown clearly because he shook his head softly.

"What is it Jesse?" Slater asked her confused himself.

"I thought you were with Alex." Jesse said softly.

"Why would I be with Alex? We used her to find you Jesse. I made her think I was going to take her back and that I wanted her when really the gang and I were following her straight back to where they were keeping you. I would never get with Alex again. I love you Jesse, when are you going to get that through that stubborn little brain of yours?" Slater asked a little frustrated.

"I don't know. Slater, I love you to." Jesse said softly before she fell back to sleep.

* * *

Slater stared open mouthed at the woman lying asleep in the bed in front of him. He couldn't believe those words had just come out of her mouth after she had told him she wasn't ready for a relationship right now. He gulped, afraid to have to tell her that her ex was still out there somewhere. He was so afraid he had imagined her saying that, that she would take it back if she heard about this guy still being out there.

* * *

He slammed his fist into the punching bag, angry that Jesse and her little buddies had played him for a fool. Well never again. The next time he got his hands on that little bitch he was going to make her pay, with her life, right away. He wouldn't keep her alive the next time. 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Slater looked up as everyone entered the hospital room to check on Jesse. He laughed as he saw Screech trying to drag something in that was way to heavy for him. He got up from his seat and hugged everyone.

"How's she doin?" Lisa asked as she sat down on the other empty chair next to Jesse's bed.

"Not so good. Doctor came in a little while ago and said her injuries were way to extensive for even him to have gotten over." Slater said shaking his head. "She was conscious for a while but then she lapsed back into this state. Doc says if she doesn't wake up again soon he is going to have to diagnose her as in a coma."

"Sheesh. Man do I wish I could have held onto him a little better." Zack said wincing in pain from his injuries.

"How are you feeling?" Slater asked his friend with a concerned look.

"Better than she is." He said nodding towards Jesse. "Right now I think we should take shifts and before you argue with us, you look like crap Slater. You're going to scare the poor girl when she wakes up." Zack joked as he held onto Kelly's waist.

"I can't just leave her. When she woke up she seemed so vulnerable and so hurt. She really thought that I was going to be with Alex." Slater said as he remembered the pain in her eyes. "It was almost like she was crushed."

"She loves you Slater." Lisa said simply. "She never stopped caring about you."

"I know. When she was awake she told me." Slater admitted softly.

"So when she wakes up again I think you should let the girls convince her to marry you." Screech said with a laugh.

* * *

Slater was sitting in the cafeteria with Zack and Screech trying to get some food into his system but only feeling sicker by the minute. He knew that he was worried more about Jesse than his own health and he could tell that the guys weren't going to let him back in that hospital room until he had eaten something. He stuffed another bite of turkey sandwich into his mouth and watched his friends study him.

"You know this stuff isn't half bad." Screech said as he stuffed his face some more.

"You like anything." Zack said laughing.

"That's not true." Screech said shaking his head. "I always thought hospital food was supposed to taste nasty."

"It is." Zack said with a shrug. "Maybe in Hawaii it's different."

"You guys let's head back to the room. I really don't feel comfortable leaving it for to long, I mean this guy is still out there and he really wants Jesse." Slater said starting to get up.

"You barely ate anything and I promised Kelly I would make sure you ate at least a whole sandwich." Zack said shaking his head as he pointed to the food on the table. "I really don't want my wife made at me if you don't mind. You'd make me do the same if the situation was reversed and you and Jesse were married."

"Probably." Slater grumbled sitting back down and picking up the sandwich again.

* * *

Kelly and Lisa were sitting by Jesse's bed when they saw her eyes fluttering. They both leaned in close to wait and see and sure enough her eyes opened again and she looked around the room.

"I thought that…" She said softly before she blinked and smiled at her two friends.

"I made Zack and Screech take Slater down to get something to eat. That boy is so worried about you he won't even take care of himself." Kelly said with a grin. "He loves you more than anything."

"We both know you love him to. We can tell by your reaction to seeing us rather than him sitting here." Lisa teased with a smile. "I'm gonna go get your doctor." She said getting up and leaving the room.

"Kelly, why did Alex say…" Jesse trailed off confused.

"It was part of a plan to get her to lead us to you. Slater told her that so that she would let her guard down and it worked." Kelly said with a smile. "He really loves you Jesse. I think he's serious about you."

"I feel like we're in high school again." Jesse admitted. "I don't know why I can't seem to make myself believe he really loves me."

"I think you already do believe it." Kelly said with a smile.

* * *

He slammed his fist into the wall of the abandoned shack he had found to hide in. He couldn't believe everything that was going on around him. How could that stupid little girl ruin everything for him? Her and her little fantasies about A.C. Slater. Well he would make sure that Slater didn't get to be happy with his girl. No one left him and got away with it. No one made him look like a fool more times than he could count. He felt his anger boiling over and knew he was on the verge of losing everything. His rage was building and all he could think about was getting rid of all of his problems once and for a while. The next time he got his hands on Jesse she would be dead.

* * *

Slater walked into the room with the guys, expecting to see a sleeping Jesse. Instead he saw her wide awake and sitting up with a huge smile on her face. He slowly walked over to the bed and looked at her with his shocked gaze.

"Look it's sleeping beauty." Zack joked as he walked up behind his wife.

"Ha ha that's funny. I like the sling, it matches your eyes." Jesse said with a smirk.

"Ouch you know how to make a guy feel small." Zack said with a chuckle.

"Thanks you guys for everything." Jesse said turning serious. "I really don't know how many times you guys bailed me out in high school, especially you Zack, but I'm grateful for everything."

* * *

Zack knew she was talking about the time she had been taking those pills. He remembered that time to and how scared he had become for her. He smiled at her and nodded his head.

* * *

Jesse looked around at all her friends, she couldn't imagine a moment any better than this. But little did she know that her ex was plotting another attack. 


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Slater was smiling as the others finally left to head back to the hotel. He was looking at Jesse, waiting for her to bring up the whole Alex thing so he could explain but she didn't. Instead she was looking at him with concern filled eyes, as if he was the one who had been through complete torture. He was studying her closely and knew she was doing the same for him.

"You should head back to the hotel and get some sleep yourself." Jesse said with a concerned gaze.

"Yeah right mama, like I would leave you here." Slater said shaking his head no.

"Slater look at you, you're a mess." Jesse said with a sigh. "You need sleep and good food."

"The cafeteria food is not the bad." Slater argued as he glared at Jesse a little and then smiled. "Besides if you're stuck eating hospital food then I might as well be to."

"You're hopeless." Jesse said laughing softly.

"Well I love you to." Slater said as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"Well gee, that's good to know. You know it's funny, you and I are so much better when we are fighting with each other, did you ever notice that?" Jesse asked softly as she leaned into the pillows.

"Yes mama I did know that." Slater said with a chuckle.

"Pig." She muttered and then smiled brightly.

"Good to know I still evoke the same reactions." Slater said shaking his head with laughter.

* * *

Kelly and Zack were sitting in bed watching the TV. Zack could tell that Kelly had something on her mind just by the way she wasn't complaining about what he put on. He sighed and hit the power button, waiting for her to notice that the TV was no longer on. When she didn't say anything, just stared at the blank screen, Zack knew that something was definitely on her mind. He tried not to laugh as he watched her nod her head as if she were answering a question.

"All right Kel, spill it." Zack said startling her.

"Huh?" Kelly asked turning to face him and then glancing at the television set. "What happened to the TV?"

"I turned it off a few minutes ago. What's on your mind?" Zack asked as he used his good arm to stroke her arm soothingly.

"I was just thinking about something that Jesse said to me at our wedding. I think I knew even then that she was in trouble, I just didn't want to admit it. I was ignoring all the signs that she needed help because I was to caught up in what was going on. What kind of a friend does that?" Kelly asked with tears in her eyes. "I would never had forgiven myself if something really terrible had happened, like us losing her for good."

"Kelly, it was our wedding day. I think Jesse understands why we didn't notice. Besides it's not like she brought it up to us." Zack reminded her. "I think her main focus was on us that day, just like everyone else's."

"I saw the bruises Zack. I knew that something had happened and I didn't ask." Kelly said not forgiving herself that easily.

"Hey, it's not your fault. Look Jesse is an adult and now she has Slater by her side. Just relax and let everything work out the way it's supposed. Maybe you can make it up to her by throwing her a big wedding. I have a feeling Slater isn't going to let her get away this time." Zack said with a chuckle.

"I think Jesse has no intention of going anywhere." Kelly said smiling at the thought of her two friends getting married.

* * *

Lisa looked up as she heard Screech heading her way. She hadn't been able to sleep and so she went for a walk on the beach. She smiled as her friend made his way next to her. Screech had changed a little, he wasn't as clumsy as before but it seemed like everything was about keeping a smile on people's faces.

"Hey Screech." Lisa said with a smile. Even though she wouldn't ever be romantically interested in her friend, he was still her friend.

"Hey Lisa, can't sleep?" Screech asked a little concerned.

"No, I was just thinking about Jesse." Lisa said shaking her head.

"Well you'll see her tomorrow and if you don't look like you normally do you might scare the poor girl." Screech said with a smile.

Lisa laughed out loud and shook her head. Sometimes Screech just knew what to say to make you smile.

* * *

Slater woke up with a start to feel a pair of eyes staring at him. He glanced at Jesse and saw her smirking at him in the dark. He reached over and flipped on the light switch.

"What are you doing awake? The doctor wanted you to try and sleep." Slater said with a serious look on his face.

"I can't sleep. Did you know that not only do you snore but sometimes you talk in your sleep?" Jesse asked him with a small laugh. "It's actually kind of cute."

"How long have you been awake and watching me?" Slater asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Long enough to know that you think I'm a goddess." Jesse said with another laugh.

"You are." Slater said nodding his head in agreement. "You are the only goddess in my eyes."

"That's good to know. Kelly and Lisa are already planning a wedding you know." Jesse said softly.

"Well then good. By the time you get out of here we should be able to walk down the aisle." Slater said with a shrug.

"Excuse me? No one said anything about us getting married." Jesse said her eyes wide with shock.

"Oh didn't I mention it? Jesse you and I are getting married when you get released from this hospital." Slater said smirking. "I'm sorry mama, but I am not letting you get away from me again and I am going to make sure that forever is always in our vocabulary."

* * *

Jesse just stared at him in complete and total shock. She wasn't sure what she felt about this new development but she did know that she loved Slater. The silence just dragged on. 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Jesse looked up the next morning to find Kelly and Lisa grinning at her from the doorway. From the looks on their faces she knew that they know about last night and everything that Slater had said. With a sigh she shook her head slowly and waited for them to enter the room. She could already tell she was going to be planning a wedding whether she was ready to do that or not.

"All right go ahead." Jesse said leaning back into her pillows on the hospital bed.

"We brought bridal magazines. We thought we could pick out your colors and themes and talk about flowers. As soon as they release you from this place we will go ahead and take you wedding dress shopping. I can't believe you and Slater are engaged." Lisa squealed with excitement.

"He never asked me." Jesse whispered looking down at the sheets and blankets on the bed.

"What do you mean he didn't ask you? He called us this morning and told us you two were getting married." Kelly said frowning as she set the magazines aside.

"He told me to." Jesse said looking up sharply.

"Wait Slater just told you that you two were getting married?" Lisa asked confused. That didn't sound like Slater and she could already tell by the look on her friends face that she wasn't happy with how that had turned out.

* * *

Slater was sitting down on the patio with Zack and Screech and he winced at the look on their faces.

"I told her we were getting married." Slater said leaning back in his chair.

"You told Jesse that you two were getting married?" Zack asked his eyes going wide.

"Yeah." Slater nodded slowly.

"You told our Jesse?" Zack asked still not believing what he was hearing.

"Yeah." Slater nodded again.

"Oh man, are you gonna get it when she is feeling better." Zack said with a grin on his face.

* * *

He overheard the conversation and felt the anger rising within him. So Jesse thought she was going to be marrying this creep did she? Well he was just going to make matters even worse now. He clenched his fists at his side and considered his next move. Would he take care of Jesse first or should he be taking care of the biggest thorn in his side, AC Slater?

"Soon Jesse will be dead and so will her loverboy." He muttered under his breath until a new idea struck him.

* * *

Kelly and Lisa set aside the bridal magazines they had brought with them and shook their heads with sighs. As much as they wanted their two friends to get married they knew they couldn't force the two of them to get together. The fact of the matter was Jesse hated to be told she was going to do something and since Slater didn't ask they had a feeling Jesse wasn't going to go through with any wedding.

"Would you consider marrying him and then making his life miserable after the wedding?" Kelly asked with a hopeful look.

"The fact of the matter is Kelly, I would have probably said yes if he had asked me. I just don't like the fact that he thinks he can tell me what to do. That's what…" Jesse trailed off but her friends didn't need for her to finish what she was saying.

"Jesse, the fact is that Slater really loves you and yes he should have asked and not told you about this whole marriage thing, but think about it, can you honestly walk away from him after everything just because of what he said?" Kelly asked babbling.

"Kel, chill." Lisa said laying a hand on her friends shoulder. "This has got to be Jesse's decision. Let's leave her alone to make it on her own." Lisa said getting up.

"No wait, stay please." Jesse said with pleading eyes. "Look I had already made my decision. I'm gonna marry him, I just don't want him to know that I am just yet. I think I am gonna play with his mind a little."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Lisa agreed with a smile.

"Sounds like fun." Kelly agreed with a shrug of her shoulders. "But in the meantime we get to plan this wedding right?"

"Right." Jesse said rolling her eyes.

* * *

Alex was sitting in her jail cell with a bored look on her face. She noticed that everyone around her seemed to be eyeing her with disgust and part of her agreed with their assessment of her. She couldn't believe what she had done just to get Slater back. That wasn't what the old Alex would have done. She sighed when she saw the detective in charge of her case making his way down the hall. She decided that she would tell him everything that she knew and hope that he could catch this sick guy before he hurt Slater or even Jesse.

* * *

Slater was shocked when he walked into the hospital room to find Jesse and Kelly alone, talking about vacation spots that would be wonderful for a girls only trip. He cleared his throat and waited until they looked up and noticed him standing there.

"I thought you were going to be planning the wedding today." Slater said simply as he walked all the wait into the room.

"Why would we be planning a wedding?" Kelly asked playing along with the girls earlier plan.

"Because Jesse and I are getting married." Slater pointed out feeling a little apprehensive.

"Says who?" Jesse asked quickly.

"Jesse." Slater said simply.

"Slater." Jesse mimicked with a smirk on her face.

"This isn't funny." Slater said as he took a seat next to her bed. "Kelly can you give us a few minutes alone."

"Sure." Kelly said as she hugged her friend and then left the room.

"No one tells me what to do Slater." Jesse warned. "If you want me to marry you then you have to ask and leave that decision up to me."

" I can't lose you." Slater said softly.

"Then quit bossing me around." Jesse said crossing her arms in front of her.

"Fine. Jessica Spannow will you marry me?" Slater said simply.

Jesse stared at him for a long time. Angry with him for the way he had asked her and then trying to decide whether she was going to put him out of his misery or not.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Why do you insist on being such a jerk?" Jesse asked him quietly.

"What are you talking about? I asked you like you wanted me to." Slater said confused.

"I wanted you to ask me the right way, Slater." Jesse said evenly.

"The right way?" Slater asked confused.

"Like you mean it. Like you really love me and don't want to lose me so you want me to marry you." Jesse said with a pout on her face.

Slater just stared at Jesse for a long while before he came to his decision. Nodding his head slowly he decided to ask her the way she wanted to be asked.

* * *

He was standing outside the door, listening to the conversation inside. It was starting to tick him off the way those two just wouldn't stop talking about love and marriage. If Jesse really thought she was going to marry Slater than she had another thing coming. He felt heat creeping into his face and knew that it was turning red with rage. He backed away from the door silently and came to his own decision on what he was going to do.

* * *

Kelly, Lisa, Zack and Screech were sitting in the hospital cafeteria waiting for a little while before they would head back up to Jesse's room. Kelly glanced over and saw a look on her husbands face that she recognized quite well.

"You are working on a scheme aren't you?" Kelly said crossing her arms in front of her.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I am not working on any schemes." Zack denied shaking his head negatively.

"Yes you are. I can always tell when you have something up your sleeve. Why don't you just spill it already." Kelly said with an arched eyebrow.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Zack repeated shaking his head.

"Zack you married the woman. Do you really think she is going to turn a blind eye to one of your little tricks?" Lisa asked with a chuckle.

"I don't know what you're talking about either." Zack said with a smirk on his face.

"I thought you were planning…" Screech broke off as Zack stomped heavily on his foot. "Ouch what did you do that for?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Zack said with a fake innocent look on his face.

* * *

Slater officially got down on one knee and grabbed one of Jesse's hands in his. He smiled at her and said softly. "Jessica Spannow will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He asked her gently.

"I would love to." Jesse said with a smile on her face.

"Yes!" Slater said jumping up.

* * *

He glared at the photographs hanging on his wall. He knew exactly what he had to do with them and when he was going to do it. He grabbed a marker and wrote something beneath each picture, forming a plan inside his sick and twisted mind. He knew that Jesse was going to be released from the hospital soon and he also knew that her friends would probably be keeping a close eye on her. That would make getting to her difficult but not impossible. He would just have to work a little harder to do what needed to be done. He pulled out the notebook that he always wrote in and looked down at the things that were written in there. Jesse would learn the hard way what it meant to mess with him. She would pay dearly for everything and he meant that.

* * *

Jesse couldn't believe her eyes when she saw her father and step-mother walk into the room. She knew that they had been away on vacation but to actually see them walk into the room impressed her. She wasn't sure who had called him but she had a pretty good idea.

"Daddy." Jesse whispered softly.

"Hey honey. I wish you had told me all about this a long time ago. I would have had the situation dealt with." He said with a frown as he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Daddy." Jesse said simply.

"I know, you're a big girl and should be treated like one. But Jesse this is a serious issue and not something you should have dealt with alone. Just like that issue from high school, you didn't deal with that alone." He said with a sigh.

"Dad." Jesse said warningly, her eyes darting towards Slater.

"What issue from high school?" Slater asked confused.

"Like you don't know. Lisa was here with her the whole time she dealt with that issue." He said with a sigh. "I figure you had to be the first person she told."

"Told me what?" Slater asked again even more confused but catching on that it was something important.

"You never told him?" He asked her his eyes going wide as he looked at his daughter.

"Mr. Spannow I think maybe you should tell me now, because I have a feeling that no matter what Jesse won't tell me." Slater said crossing his arms in front of him and arching a brow.

"I could have sworn that she…" He trailed off and frowned. Realizing that he had said something Jesse didn't want revealed he let his gaze travel to the floor where it remained as he tried to think of a way out of this mess.

"Honey, I don't think you have much of a choice." Jesse's step-mom whispered to her.

Jesse glanced down at the blanket that was covering her and felt the tears building at the memories. She didn't like talking about what happened at that time and it wasn't something she was willing to tell Slater. After everything that had happened recently and everything they were already facing, she thought she had gotten her life back on track. She glanced up and met Slater's gaze and took a deep breath. She knew that at some point someone else would find out about what happened, but now it was just a matter of time. She took another deep breath and prepared to let the cat out of the bag.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Slater sat watching Jesse, waiting patiently for her to tell him what her father was talking about. He could tell by the look on her face that it was something she wasn't looking forward to sharing with him but at the same time he didn't really care. He crossed his arms in front of him and leaned against the wall, waiting for some explanation of what this small exchange between father and daughter was about.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jesse knew by the look on Slater's face that there was going to be absolutely no way out of telling him this. Her father had opened his big mouth and now she was stuck trying to explain everything to him. She took a deep breath and motioned for her father and step-mother to leave the room. She gave Slater a shaky smile and tried to think of the best and easiest way to explain this to him.

"Before you and I broke up in High School, I was going through a lot. I mean there are things that not even Zack knows about." Jesse started simply. "I think at that point I had just over worked myself when it came to my grades and it was time for my mind and body to crash, and they did."

"What do you mean?" Slater asked after Jesse had paused for a couple of minutes and not continued.

"When you and I broke up I was teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown as it was, I held it off as long as I could but right after graduation, losing everyone around me, I just fell apart." Jesse said looking down at the blanket covering her. "My mom couldn't handle it and so she shipped me here and I was forced onto anti-depressents and relied heavily on my dad to keep me from falling all the way apart."

"Jesse why didn't you call any of us?" Slater asked slowly after taking it all in.

"I did call Lisa and she came out here and stayed with me for the longest time." Jesse said with a sigh. "But as for you, I couldn't call you, you were part of the problem. I was in love with you and we were no longer together, it was killing me. Zack, Kelly and Screech were at the same school as you so it was not wise to tell them it might have gotten back to you." Jesse explained with a shrug.

"So you fell apart because we broke up?" Slater asked confused.

"That was only part of it. I fell apart because I was an overachiever and a perfectionist. It was bound to happen at some point in my life, I guess I should be grateful that it happened that summer before college. That meant I could get myself better and into my freshman year with a new outlook on things." Jesse answered finally meeting his eyes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zack and Kelly were sitting on a bench in the relaxing garden just outside the hospital. Kelly could already tell that her husbands mind wasn't fully on what she was saying so she started babbling about anything to see if she could recapture his attention.

"So anyway I saw Jeff again the other day. I guess he's out her vacationing." Kelly said and glanced at Zack.

"That's nice." Zack murmured in response.

"He asked me if I wanted to go out with him for tonight. I told him I would have to think about it." Kelly said still staring at him.

"Great." Zack murmured.

"He kissed me after that and we had a wild affair." Kelly threw in and waited patiently.

"How great for you." Zack said staring at the same place.

"All right that's it, snap out of it." She said hitting him in the back of the head, hard enough to make his head move forward.

"Ouch, why did you do that?" He asked turning towards her.

"Because you haven't been listening to a word I said." Kelly said crossing her arms in front of her.

"Have to, you said that you and Jeff had a wild affair." Zack said with a smirk.

"Okay if you were listening to me then why were you staring off into space?" Kelly asked softening her look and voice.

"Something's bothering me about this guy that wants to hurt Jesse so much and I just can't seem to figure out what it is. It's almost like I know him from somewhere but I'm not sure where." Zack answered with a shrug.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He stared at the pictures adorning his wall and punched his fist through them. So Jesse thought she could outsmart him did she, well he would just see about that. Pretty soon his little ex was going to feel all the pain she felt over the years tenfold.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zack was wondering around the garden of the hospital, still trying to place where he knew this guy from. It was really starting to drive him crazy knowing that this person was someone that he could possibly know, and that's when it hit him. He did indeed know this guy, in fact it was pissing him off where he knew him from.

"That son of a…" Zack trailed off as he stopped dead in his tracks. He turned around and headed straight inside the hospital looking for the others. He knew this guy all right, and so did everyone else.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jesse could tell that Slater was still trying to grasp what she had told him. She felt bad that she had kept that a secret from most of her friends but it wasn't something she was proud of, nor something she felt like talking about. Sighing she watched as he walked over to the window and stared out.

"Did this guy know about that time in your life?" Slater asked softly.

"Yeah, I think he preyed on it. It was kind of like he was using it to control me. He would threaten to find you guys and tell you all about it and that was what made me stay even longer. Finally it got to the point where I realized facing all of you was better than being with him and getting killed. It was just that I realized that a little to late." Jesse said with a sheepish look.

"Guys I remember where I know that guy from!" Zack said bursting into Jesse's room only to have Slater and Jesse stare at him like he was crazy.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"What do you mean you know this guy?" Slater asked finally.

"Do you remember that summer when we all worked at that resort? Do you remember that one guy that we started hanging out with that we all thought was the coolest guy ever?" Zack asked trying to trigger Slater's memory.

"Oh yeah. I remember you wanted to smash his skull in one time because he was hitting on some girl that you were falling for." Screech said leaning against the wall.

"I remember him to, I actually dated him for a bit." Kelly said with wide eyes. "Oh my gosh, Jesse I thought I had told you about why I broke it off with him."

"No actually Kelly you refused to tell any of us." Jesse reminded her.

"You mean I could have prevented this if I had only told you why I kicked him to the curb. Now I know I really owe you big time. I'm so sorry Jesse." Kelly said feeling guilt building in her system.

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about Kel, this isn't your fault." Jesse said softly.

* * *

Lisa was watching all of her friends closely. She was trying to judge what they were all thinking about and what they were trying to decide. She knew Zack was feeling rage at the thought that this guy may have at one point hurt Kelly and she knew that Slater's blood was boiling at the thought of knowing this guy and still being betrayed by him. She winced as she realized that she was the one who had introduced him to the gang. She didn't want to mention to them how they had all originally met nor did she think any of them actually remembered that little detail. She sighed as she watched them all work out the details of that summer and she thought about the time she had caught him smack Kelly across the face. She had smacked him for Kelly and then swore to keep what had happened a secret, against her own better judgment of course.

* * *

Kelly looked over and noticed that Lisa was watching them all with curiosity. She knew what she had to be thinking about and felt the guilt swell even more. She had sworn Lisa to secrecy after that incident which had forced Lisa to keep her mouth shut about everything. If only she had been brave enough to allow Lisa to open up to Jesse or anyone about what this guy did, but instead she had been afraid of what people would think if they knew that sweet naïve Kelly had allowed some guy to smack her around for a while.

* * *

Zack and Slater were sharing looks of disgust as they realized that they both wanted to kill this guy. They were both friends with the two girls involved, as well as more than just friends. Zack's wife had been with this guy and Slater's future wife was his current target. Slater hated him more than anyone in the room, even more than Jesse did.

* * *

Jesse could feel the anger that was radiating off of her friends. She wanted to calm them down but a part of her was happy that they were so mad. It meant that they cared about what had happened and how deep the betrayal actually was. Slater had been friends with this guy that summer, which was part of the reason she had decided to go out with him. She had wanted to hurt her ex boyfriend by dating someone she knew would hurt him. She laughed a small laugh when she thought about how stupid and petty she had been acting.

"What?" Slater asked turning his attention to her.

"I was just thinking about why I dated this guy to begin with. I was trying to figure out a way to make you jealous. He had said he was still hanging out with you and that maybe we would end up double dating with you and your new girlfriend. I wanted to make you see me with someone else, to see if you still cared about me. I guess I let it blind me to the fact that he was blatantly lying to me." Jesse said with a blush creeping into her cheeks.

"Jesse you can't blame yourself for what this guy did to you." Kelly said with a sigh. "He did the same thing to me. I just couldn't tell anyone about it."

"He put his hands on you?" Zack asked hotly.

"More than that I'm sure. He likes to use weapons and things other than his hands when he is really angry." Jesse said watching her friends face and seeing the confirmation in her eyes.

"Kelly why didn't you tell any of us. You know we would have taken care of him back then for you." Slater said softly, trying to keep himself under control but already knowing if he ever got his hands on this guy he wouldn't be responsible for the damage he was going to do.

* * *

Screech was watching his two male friends with growing apprehension. He knew they were both going to lose their tempers if they ever got their hands on this guy and he couldn't figure out a way to stop them from doing something that could get them arrested. He could tell by the looks the females were sending around the room that they to were scared for Zack and Slater. Screech knew that the only way to keep his friends out of trouble was to make sure that they never got close enough to this guy. Now it was only a matter of figuring out how to keep them away from this case.

* * *

His plan was finally becoming clear to him. For the longest time he couldn't figure out what he wanted to do but now he knew. He was going to make sure that Jesse paid for everything and he was going to make her pay dearly. If everything went according to plan his revenge would be the biggest media story to ever play out. 


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: All right it seems that people are bored with how long the story has gone on. I know it's always taking me a long time to update but I have been really ill lately. I had another surgery and my job is taking a lot out of me and on top of it I am a full time student. That being said, I was hoping to continue on with this story but because of personal e-mails and at least one review that asked me to basically hurry and finish it I figured we might be able to get this wrapped in maybe one or two more chapters, if that's what you want. Review and let me know what you're thinking? Also just so you know the guy isn't someone who was mentioned in the actual show…. I am saying it's someone they met but it's not someone who was a character on the show.

* * *

Chapter 19

Jesse was biting her lower lip as a new thought struck her. She had a feeling she knew where she could find this guy and how to find him. There was only place that he would feel safe enough to go to if the cops were looking for him. She glanced at all her friends as they argued over what was going on and who this guy was and debated about sharing the information with them. They had all been hurt by this guy and for her to let them in on it she knew the guys would go there and get themselves into trouble. She looked down at the blanket that was covering her and tried to think of a way to get to this guy without the whole team knowing about it.

"Jesse I can tell there is something going on inside that pretty little head of yours." Zack whispered to her softly. "No matter what we aren't going to let you out of our sights so forget it."

"You know me to well." She whispered back sighing softly.

"Well we are best friends Jess." Zack said with a shrug. "Will you just tell us what's going on with you? Why is it so important that you take care of him and not us?"

"I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me." Jesse said with a sigh. "I know that Slater would do anything for me and you and Kelly and Screech, and we all know Lisa would. I just can't bare the thought that he might do some serious damage."

"You don't have a choice in that matter." Slater interrupted, reminding Jesse that everyone else was still in the room. "We are going to be here for you no matter what. If that means that we have to lock you in a room to make sure you don't sneak away then so be it."

"AC, you don't understand." Jesse said softly.

"Hey mama, I just got you back, I'm not going to lose you now." Slater said smiling.

* * *

He grinned as he sat back in the chair that was resting in his new hiding place. Although he had a feeling everyone remembered who he was, he doubted Jesse had filled them in about this place. He would be safe here from everyone, including that dumb jock Slater. He had to laugh at the thought that although Jesse hated his guts she would still never betray him to anyone.

"Soon I will have my revenge on everyone and not one person can say anything about it." He closed his eyes and attempted to picture the looks on everyone's faces once they realized that nothing was going to stop him from getting what he wanted.

* * *

Slater was a nervous wreck as he glanced at all the rings in the display cases. He was looking for the perfect engagement ring to buy Jesse but he wasn't all that sure which one would be good enough for her. He looked over at Kelly and Lisa who were shopping with him and could tell by the looks on their faces that he was looking at the wrong one, again.

"All right why don't you show me what you think she might like." Slater muttered to the two of them.

"Then it wouldn't be as special." Lisa said with a laugh as she glanced at all the rings in the case.

"But she would actually like it." Slater pointed out with a sigh.

"Slater you have to stop worrying about whether or not she is going to like it and concentrate on what you can afford to give her." Kelly said with a sigh.

"Well I can afford whatever she wants. As long as Jesse is happy than I am happy." Slater said as he finally saw a ring that he knew deep in his heart that she would love. "That one." He said simply as he pointed at it.

"Perfect choice sir." The salesman said as he grabbed it out of the display case.

* * *

He was laughing as he watched the television set in front of him. The local news had finally caught onto the story and was showing his sketch and a couple of old pictures of him. He shook his head with the laugh getting louder and louder at the thought that someone might actually try and identify him from those photo's.

"Aww Jesse girl what are you thinking?" He laughed to himself. "You know that nothing you do is going to help at this point so you might as well give it up."

* * *

Jesse was laughing as she watched Kelly and Lisa argue over some old high school photo's her dad had brought in for them to look at. She noticed the weird looks Lisa kept giving old photo's of her and had to remember that Lisa was the designer and wasn't to fond of Jesse's style back then.

"Do you remember the time you tried to give me a makeover?" Jesse asked softly.

"Yeah you thought that Slater wasn't interested in you so you wanted to impress him. That was a disaster." Lisa chuckled as she thought back to that time.

"Well it was pretty funny. Do you ever wonder what would have happened if things had turned out differently?" Jesse asked with a far away look on her face.

"I wonder that all the time Jesse but sometimes things turn out for the better. I mean look at it this way, you have got to be a stronger person for everything you have been through and it led you back to Slater so that has to count for something." Kelly said honestly.

"Yeah I guess that's true." Jesse admitted reluctantly.

Slater was nervous as he showed off the ring to the other guys, waiting for their reactions to what he had bought.

"I guess it's time to make it all official. I need to know that she really does want to marry me and that there is no backing out this time." Slater said softly.

"Buddy, Jesse has been my friend for a long time, which is why I can't understand why she would want to even think about marrying a brain dead jock like you." Zack kidded as he watched the usual smirk appear on his friends face. With the desired reaction in place Zack started laughing. "But in all truthfulness I'm glad that she finally has a chance to be as happy as Kelly and I are."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Slater and Jesse were sitting alone in the hotel room. Jesse had finally been released much to the delight of everyone around her. Slater smirked as he watched the pleasure cross Jesse's face at the sight of the good food and chocolate cake sitting on the table surrounded by candlelight.

"I figured after all that nasty hospital food you might need something to cheer you up." Slater said laughingly.

"You know me to well sometimes that it's scary." Jesse said with a giggle.

"Well mama that should be considered a good thing from now on don't you think?" Slater said arching his eyebrow.

"Yeah I guess your right." Jesse nodded as she took another bite of chocolate cake.

"So I was just thinking…" Slater started before he stopped.

"You were just thinking what?" Jesse asked giving him an odd look.

"I was just thinking that maybe we should talk about what happened back in high school." Slater said slowly.

"You mean when we broke up?" Jesse asked softly.

"Jesse I just want to know what was going through your mind at the time?" Slater asked with pleading look on his face.

"I was thinking about the fact that I didn't want to ruin everything for you. I mean you had a scholarship and all." Jesse said forgetting that she hadn't told Slater everything about her breakdown.

"Why would having a girlfriend ruin my scholarship?" Slater asked her confused.

"Because you would have been distracted." Jesse said thinking quickly.

"That's not what you meant. You know that I know you better than you know yourself sometimes and that means I know when you are hiding something Jesse and that means that I know there is something more to that statement. You wanna tell me what's going through your mind right now?" Slater asked her with an arched brow.

"Not really." Jesse said getting up from the table and going into the bathroom. She looked into the mirror and just stared at herself wondering what she was going to do now.

* * *

Zack and Kelly were laughing at Lisa's antics as she started to beat herself up. They were playing another board game and laughing as Lisa tried to convey the answer to her partner Screech but he was still not getting it.

"I swear you are just as clueless as Slater was back in school." Lisa muttered when time ran out.

"What are you talking about?" Kelly asked curiously.

"Nothing." Lisa said realizing that she had resorted back to her old gossip tendencies. She quickly got up and walked over to the table where they had set up some drinks for everyone for throughout the night. Lisa poured herself some ice tea and quickly gulped it down, trying to think of a way out of the situation she had just gotten herself in.

* * *

Jesse was sitting on the edge of the tub trying to figure things out when she heard Slater knocking on the door.

"Will you at least let me know if you're all right in there?" He asked through the door, his voice laced with worry.

"I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute." Jesse said with a shaky voice.

"Okay." Slater said biting his lower lip nervously.

Jesse thought back to the time when she and Slater had broken up in high school. The time when she had been so frightened and scared that she didn't know what to do. She remembered only being able to confide in one person and even that one person wasn't much help.

_Flashback_

_"Look Slater seriously, we are going off to college soon and you and I both know that there is no way that a long distance relationship would work out. So how about we just call it quits here while we can." Jesse suggested staring at her boyfriend while her heart was breaking inside. She knew she was doing the right thing, she had to be doing the right thing._

_"You don't mean this mama." Slater said his voice breaking._

_"I do mean it. I'm sorry but I love someone else." Jesse said before she turned and ran the other way. _

_End flashback_

Slater was sitting on the bed in the hotel room he was sharing with Jesse when he realized that there was some underlying message in what Jesse was saying. He started to think back to the high school days. Suddenly his head snapped up and his eyes widened and he gulped.

"Holy…" He trailed off as he jumped off the bed. He ran over to the bathroom and started pounding on the door. "Jesse come out of there right now, we need to talk right this minute."

Jesse glanced at the door as realization set in. She slowly climbed off the edge of the tub and walked over to the door and opened it slowly to face Slater. She took one look at his face and could see it in his eyes that he knew.

"You know?"

"Why didn't you just be honest with me?" Slater asked his voice breaking. "If you were in love with someone else why didn't you just tell me that straight up."

Jesse stared at him as if he had lost his mind. She wasn't sure how to react to what he had just said. She shook her head slowly and tried to think about what he was saying but she had no clue. Slowly she walked past him over to the table and sat down again. Picking up her fork she played around with the remainder of the chocolate cake trying to figure out what he was talking about.

"You think that I was in love with someone else?" She asked slowly.

"Well weren't you? You broke up with me and tried to hide your feelings so that I wouldn't be distracted at college." Slater said sitting across from her.

"No that wasn't it at all." Jesse said getting annoyed.

"Well then what has you so upset?" Slater asked confused.

"I was pregnant Slater!" Jesse shouted before fleeing back into the bathroom.


	21. Chapter 21

Ch. 21

Jesse sat on the edge of tub with her mind screaming at her that she needed to go back out there and face the music. She didn't want to keep running away every time something got hard. Groaning she got up off the tub and with her head down she opened the bathroom door and ran straight into Slater's chest.

"What do you mean?" Slater asked not sure he had heard her right.

"I was pregnant." Jesse said slowly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Slater asked unsure of how he was feeling at that moment.

"I couldn't tell you. You had so much going for you. A football scholarship, college coming at you, and you were just to excited about going out there and growing up. Not to mention your military father would have killed you." Jesse said shrugging but avoiding his gaze. "You have every right to hate me, heck I hate myself just about every day of my life."

"What happened to the baby?" Slater asked slowly.

"I miscarried." Jesse said with tears forming. "They said I wasn't properly taking care of myself, probably because I was depressed or something. I don't know about that. I think part of me just couldn't handle everything life was throwing at me."

"So the real reason that you broke up with me was because you didn't think I could handle a child back then?" Slater asked as it finally dawned on him what she was saying.

"Well look who finally caught on." Jesse said sarcastically. "Look I only wanted what I thought was best for you, I wasn't exactly thinking all that clearly. I won't know for sure but I think when I had time to really think about it I would have eventually told you I was pregnant, I just miscarried to quickly to be sure."

"Well ain't that a kick. It must have been a relief for you to not have a child running around at your young age." Slater said starting to feel the anger rise in him at the thought of what could have been. "Did it ever occur to you that I could have taken good care of you and our child?"

"It probably would have later on when the panic of learning what we had done subsided but then again I was the one that was going to have to face everyone and the looks and whispers." Jesse said starting to get angry herself. She knew that he had every right to be angry with her but for whatever reason she just couldn't stop the feeling that was rising within her.

Slater could tell that there was something more than what she was telling him. As much as he wanted to scream at her and yell at her he had to admit she had been punished enough for all of her decisions. He also had to admit that it was nice to know that she cared so much about him that as a high school student she was willing to risk herself to save him.

"Look Jesse I love you more than anything in the world and I know that no matter what happened back then now is all that matters." Slater said slowly. He glanced up and saw so much worry and pain in her eyes that it was tearing him apart. He reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into his embrace. "I can't help feeling hurt about what happened back then but I know that with time I will get over it because I love you and nothing can change that fact."

"Do you really mean that?" Jesse asked him as she clung to him.

"Yes I really mean that." Slater said with a slight laugh.

* * *

Screech was sitting on the couch inside the hotel room watching his friends try to get answers out of Lisa. He knew that Zack and Kelly meant well but for Lisa to be able to keep a secret that would mean that it had to be something big and it would have to be something she really couldn't share with anyone and that meant he needed to get the other two off her back. Whatever Lisa was hiding she had a good reason for hiding it.

"Come on you two leave her alone." Screech spoke up, shocking the other three in the room who had clearly forgotten he was there. This seemed to happen a lot and Screech was pretty much used to it.

"Look why is it that we can't know what's going on with one of our friends?" Kelly asked glancing between the other two.

"I would love to fill you in, believe me Kelly you know I would but it's not my place. Jesse has enough on her plate without me betraying her right now." Lisa said shaking her head slowly.

"Fine but once we are all out of this all three of us are going to sit down and have some girl talk. I wanna know what it is that's being hidden from me by two of my best friends." Kelly said with a slight pout.

* * *

Jesse and Slater were lying in the hotel bed together, cuddled together almost like their earlier discussion didn't happen, but it did. Jesse was wide awake thinking about some of the things that she had said and some of the things he had said. She knew that he had every right to hate her so it confused her that he would say that he still loved her. In her mind all she could think about was that he should have flown into a rage, he should have smacked her the way her ex did. She winced as she realized what she was thinking, as much as she loved Slater she had started thinking he was going to hit her like her ex even though she knew he never would. She knew he would never ever hit her like that. She knew that he was a real man so why in the back of her mind was she so afraid that he was going to hurt her? 


	22. Chapter 22

Ch. 22

Jesse woke up with a feeling of dread as she felt the cold empty spot next to her. She glanced over at the spot where Slater had been lying and she noticed he was no longer there. Frowning she sat up and noticed there was a room service tray sitting on the table with a flower and note. She smiled softly as she got up and walked over to it and read the note.

_Dear Jesse,_

_Sorry that you had to wake up without me but urgent matters have come to my attention. Zack and Kelly will be here to sit with you by noon, hopefully you'll be up before this food goes cold. Love you sweetheart and we'll talk later about everything._

_Slater_

Jesse smiled as she folded the note and placed it off to the side before smelling the flower. She smiled as she took the top off of the plate it was covering and noticed pancakes with her favorite blueberry syrup, scrambled eggs, sausage and some toast. She nearly burst out laughing at the amount of food knowing she wouldn't be able to eat all of it maybe not even half of it.

* * *

Slater was getting anxious as he noticed that the person who had sent him his notice had not yet shown up. He was beginning to wonder if this person had only been trying to trick him away from Jesse but then again who knew what was going on anymore. He took out his cell phone and called Zack and told him what was going on. Zack promised to head right over to the hotel room and check on Jesse to make sure everything was all right.

* * *

Kelly and Zack glanced at each other as they quickly made their way over to the hotel room Jesse and Slater were sharing. They knocked on the door and were surprised when Jesse opened the door with a smile on her face. She shook her head laughing as she motioned for them to enter the room.

"So I figured you would be early. As overprotective everyone has been over me lately." Jesse said as she sat on the couch and turned off the television show she had been watching. "How long are you stuck 'babysitting' me?" She asked with a glance at two of her best friends.

"Jesse it's not funny. You know he is still out there." Kelly said sitting next to her friend.

"I know that Kel, which is why you are still here." Jesse said confused on why they were taking her so seriously instead of laughing at the sarcasm in her voice.

"There is a lot going on that you don't know at the moment." Zack spoke up from his position leaning against the wall.

"Is Slater in trouble?" Jesse asked scared.

"No don't worry he's fine it's not Slater that everyone is concerned about. Slater got a message that he knows where your stupid little prick of an ex-boyfriend is at the moment and someone is going to give him the location today. But Slater said he was getting a bad feeling about the meeting and thought it might be a ploy to get to you hence why we are here early." Zack said simply.

"What if it was a trap for someone to get their hands on Slater?" Jesse asked rolling her eyes. " Sometimes he is so worried about my safety that he doesn't think of his own. Please tell me he didn't go by himself out there?"

"Yeah he did." Zack said as he realized what Jesse meant and he nearly smacked himself in the head. They didn't need to lure Slater out of the hotel room to attack Jesse today. They needed to lure him out to attack him so they could get to Jesse anytime they wanted because no one could be with Jesse as often as Slater.

Zack walked out into the hallway letting Kelly and Jesse talk as he called Slater on his cell phone. Jesse was the smart one in their group and had figured out that there was trouble where everyone else had failed to notice it.

"Yeah? Is something wrong with Jesse?" Slater asked as he answered immediately.

"No something is wrong with you. Jesse pointed out that it could be a trap you being out there by yourself so they can take you out to…" Zack trailed off hoping Slater would get it on his own.

"Crap." Slater muttered as he picked up on it.

* * *

Slater walked swiftly to the car he had rented and got in. Hurriedly he started the engine and took off. He was just hoping that whoever was out there hadn't made any plans to take him out yet. He couldn't believe how he had missed how obvious this plan of attack was. Slater was halfway back to the hotel when the second car came out of nowhere.

* * *

Zack was standing in the hallway waiting for a phone call from Slater or for him to show up in the hallway. He was getting more and more concerned as he stood there and waited for any sign of his friend. He glanced behind him as Jesse opened the door to her hotel room and gave him a look.

"You might as well come back inside. Kelly and I are trying to figure out what to do if Slater doesn't get away." Jesse said with a gulp. The emotion written on her face was pure fear and sadness. Jesse knew that Slater would do anything to make sure she was safe, so willing that he would even sacrifice himself which is why they had such a problem at the moment.

* * *

Slater woke up and shook his head. He wasn't all that sure what had happened but the car was a total loss. Groaning he searched for his phone and found it. He quickly dialed Zack and let him know what was going on. Then he hung up and dialed 911.

"Someone hit me, I need help." He said into the phone.

"Sir, someone punched you?" The operator asked swiftly.

"No they rammed their car into my car, my head hurts." Slater said before he lost consciousness.


	23. Chapter 23

Ch. 23

Jesse was pacing in the emergency room waiting room. She glanced over and saw Zack and Kelly looking just as worried and concerned as she looked. She bit her bottom lip nervously as she realized that she could really lose Slater. She felt the guilt creeping up on her and wasn't sure what she could do about it. Her mind was spinning as she noticed the doctor heading towards them.

"We are going to need to contact Mr. Slater's family." The doctor said softly. "Also we noticed his initials but his full name isn't on his identification."

"Albert Clifford Slater." Jesse said softly. "I guess we can try and get a hold of his dad. The problem is he is in the military and I think he might be overseas at the moment."

"Does he have any other family?" The doctor asked with a frown.

"Jesse here is his fiancée so I guess that makes her family." Zack said shrugging his shoulders. "We are all like his family, as close as can be."

"I'm sure that's true." The doctor said with a smile. "Try and reach his father."

"Can you tell us how he is?" Kelly asked worriedly.

"At the moment he is stable. That's all I can release to non family members." The doctor said softly.

"Isn't a fiancée family?" Kelly asked seriously.

"I'm afraid our hospital policy is clear." The doctor said shaking his head.

"Please. It's my fault he was out there anyway. He has been trying to keep me safe and now he may be seriously hurt because of me and you won't tell me anything." Jesse said frantically.

"Look I wish there was something more that I could tell you but I could be sued and lose my license to practice medicine." The doctor said finally walking away.

Jesse sat down in a chair and put her head in her hands. No one was sure how to reach Mr. Slater where he was stationed. Jesse glanced up again as she heard footsteps walking her way. She smiled as she saw Lisa and Screech standing there.

"We managed to get the military notified to find him. They are going to make notification and then get him out here. How is he?" Lisa asked worriedly.

"All they would tell us is he is stable." Jesse whispered quietly.

"But you're his fiancée they should be able to tell you more than that." Lisa said confused.

"Well apparently a fiancée isn't good enough here." Kelly said annoyed.

"Okay, well Jesse I am sure when Slater is able to he is going to ask for you and then he is going to give them permission to talk to you about everything, exactly what you did when you were in the hospital." Lisa said shrugging her shoulders.

"I hope so." Jesse whispered again as she clenched her hands together tightly.

* * *

Slater slowly opened his eyes and looked around him confused and dazed. He wasn't sure where he was or what had happened. He tried to move but felt nothing but intense pain.

"Welcome back Mr. Slater." A nurse said with a smile.

"What happened?" He asked with a scratchy voice trying to swallow but realizing it was painful to do anything.

"You were in an accident." The nurse said sympathetically. "The military has contacted your father and he is on his way here."

"What about my fiancée?" Slater asked as he realized Jesse wasn't in the room.

"She and your friends are in the waiting room. Since she isn't your next of kin we haven't been able to tell her much of anything. Would you like to see her?" The nurse asked sweetly.

"Please, she is probably freaking out right about now not knowing what is going on with me." Slater said worriedly.

* * *

Jesse looked up as a nurse walked towards the group. She could tell that the nurse was heading for them and not one of the other people in the waiting room and began to panic. Bad thoughts began to filter through her mind, that something bad had happened and that she was going to tell her that Slater was dead or something like that.

"Which one of you is Mr. Slater's fiancée?" The nurse asked sweetly.

"That would be me." Jesse said nervously.

"He's asking for you." The nurse said with a smile. "Follow me."

Jesse followed the nurse back to Slater's room and felt her heart beat quicken as she walked inside and saw Slater lying on the hospital bed hooked up to a bunch of machines.

"Hey mama." Slater said with a small smile. "Miss me?"

"I thought that you were dead or something." Jesse said as tears fell from her eyes. "Don't you do that to me again."

"Yes ma'am. As long as you promise not to end up here yourself." Slater said with a wink.

"Slater this is all my fault. All of you are in danger because of me. I shouldn't have dragged any of you into this. You could have been killed and then he could have had Kelly, Zack, Screech and Lisa killed. I can't deal with this anymore." Jesse said panicking in her normal Jesse way.

"Hey mama, I think you need to chill out." Slater said rolling his eyes. "Come over here and sit down next to me."

"What?" She asked softly as she sat in a chair next to his bed.

"You might as well get over whatever is running through your head. Listen to me and listen good, you and I are getting married which means for the rest of our lives whatever problems you have are my problems as well. Jesse you might as well except it, you are going to be stuck with me forever." Slater said smirking at her.

"Well just until I find someone better." Jesse half-heartily quipped.

"Aww so that's how it's gonna be is it?" Slater asked with a laugh and a wince. "Please don't make me laugh, aren't I going through enough?"

"You are a big baby you know." Jesse said with a smile.

"Maybe I am, but I got you to smile didn't I?" Slater said with a smirk.

* * *

He felt his frustrations growing at the news that A.C. Slater had survived the crash. Well that just meant he had to take things up a notch. 


	24. Chapter 24

AN - I am sorry to say this but because of certain immature people I can no longer accept anoynous reviews... There is someone who has decided to be a pain in my side... so you must log in to review the story.

* * *

Ch. 24

Jesse watched as Slater slept in the hospital bed and she silently breathed a sigh of relief that he was going to be all right. She glanced up when she heard the door open and noticed Slater's dad walking in. From the look on his face, Jesse could tell that he had been told of the seriousness of the injuries that Slater suffered.

"Hello Mr. Slater." Jesse whispered softly with a nod at a sleeping AC.

"How's he doing?" AC's dad asked softly.

"He's a tough one, you know that." Jesse shrugged. "It's really had to tell."

"Yeah, that's my boy. The wrestler, basketballer, football tough guy." Mr. Slater said softly as he sat down across from Jesse.

"He's gonna be all right." Jesse whispered to Mr. Slater.

"You might as well start calling me dad. I've been told you are my son's fiancée which makes us practically family right now." Mr. Slater said with a smile.

"Yeah." Jesse said with a small smile and a shrug.

* * *

Kelly and Zack were sitting in the waiting room with Screech and Lisa and all four of them were getting more and more anxious.

"If this guy is willing to use a car to take someone out just imagine what he is capable of." Lisa said voicing everyone's concern.

"I know that." Kelly said as she leaned into Zack. "There has to be a way to find him and stop him."

"Somehow I seriously doubt there is anyway we can find him when he is so determined to stay free and make Jesse's life miserable." Screech said shrugging his shoulders.

"Screech, we can't let this guy kill Jesse." Lisa said starting to get scared.

"How are you going to stop him from killing her?" Screech asked confused.

"I don't know but there has to be something we can do to make sure that he doesn't get anywhere near her." Kelly spoke up.

"Zack what do you think?" Lisa asked.

"I think that I am going to have to come up with my most brilliant plan ever." Zack said with a sigh. "We can't let anything happen to our friends and that means that it's up to us to keep them safe and hidden."

"Okay and how do we do that?" Kelly asked arching an eyebrow.

"With the help of the US Military that's how." Zack said as he got the look on his face that stated that he knew what he was thinking.

* * *

Jesse sat near the window in the hospital room, giving Slater and his dad a chance to talk to each other. Jesse knew that what had happened was her fault and it was only a matter of time before all the details came out and Slater's dad hated her for what she had gotten his son involved with. Jesse looked up as the door opened and Zack walked in with the rest of the gang.

"How ya doin Slater?" Kelly asked as she gave him a hug and then hugged his father.

"Been better. It seems that no matter what I say or do, Jesse is determined to blame herself for this one." Slater said with a glance at Jesse who was back to staring out the window and ignoring everyone in the room. It was clear that she was thinking up a plan of her own and it was most likely one that involved her getting away from everyone else and dealing with this on her own.

"Well we have an idea that I think might be helpful." Zack said with a grin on his face.

"What's that?" Slater asked curiously.

"What about going to stay with your dad on a military base for a while?" Kelly asked jumping in.

"That's a great idea." Mr. Slater jumped in nodding his head. "I would love to have both of them there with me. I can hear all about the wedding they plan on having."

"I don't know. I mean this is all my fault. You should all just go on and get out of here and let me deal with this on my own." Jesse whispered her eyes still focused outside.

"Hate to tell you this mama, but you're stuck with me." Slater said from the bed.

"I think that until AC is able to take care of himself again I want you both to come and stay with me on the military base. It's for the best that you two be there with me." Mr. Slater said with a sigh.

"All right." Jesse nodded knowing she wasn't going to win this argument.

* * *

He was getting more and more impatient. He had overheard everything that was said in Slater's hospital room and it angered him that anyone would think that a stupid military base could stop him. He was determined more than ever to get his hands on the woman who dared to disobey him. He had broken her spirit and no matter what anyone else said to her she would always be under his control and he would make sure of that.

_Flashback:_

_Jesse was standing in the kitchen in their house with blood running from her upper lip and her eye already swelling shut._

_"Next time listen to me when I tell you to do something!" He shouted at her. "You are my property and that means I own you." _

_End Flashback_

He smirked as he remembered the look on her face after he taught her lesson after lesson. He enjoyed punishing her and showing her who was boss and it looked like she was due for a new lesson to be learned. He would make sure that Jesse remembered that you never double crossed the one person who could control your every move.

* * *

Jesse could feel her entire body growing tenser. It was clear that something was incredibly wrong and that something really bad was going to happen soon. Zack and Kelly had gone back to the hotel and packed up Slater's and her suitcases. Slater was going to be transferred to a military hospital back in Hawaii where he could be officially guarded and Jesse was going to be under her future father-in-laws surveillance. She just knew that something was going to happen. 


	25. Chapter 25

Ch. 25

Jessie woke up slowly and stretched lazily in bed. For the past few days she had been safely tucked away on a military base in Hawaii, enjoying the weather and the safety the US Military could offer her. She bit her bottom lip softly as she sat up in bed and looked around the room. She had to admit that the past week spent on the base had been nice. She hadn't had to watch her back for anything and that was important to her. She got out of bed slowly and walked towards the bathroom. Today they were finally going to let Slater come back to the house and recuperate, as long as someone kept a close eye on him. She just hoped that everything would eventually go back to normal, and that her ex would be caught because they weren't going to be on a base forever. 

* * *

He was biding his time and waiting. If only the rest of them had known how easy it would have been for him to get to them, but he didn't want them he wanted her. Jessica Spannow was going to regret the day that she betrayed him and that was a fact. He walked over to the window and stared outside at the Hawaii military base that he knew Jessie was on. He had already found a way to get on the base now it was a matter of when he was going to get to her and what he would do to her when he did. 

"Soon Jessie you will know that betraying me is the worst thing you could have ever done in your whole life. Soon I will make you wish that you had never double crossed me. Not only that but your Mr. Slater will wish he had never decided to get in my way because his blood will be on your hands." He muttered as his eyes narrowed as he glared at the base. He knew it was only a small matter of time.

* * *

Jessie smiled when she saw father and son come through the front door. She had made up the downstairs bedroom for Slater like his father had suggested and stayed out of the way as they made their way to it. She leaned against the doorjamb as Slater's dad helped get him situated in the bed.

"You feeling all right son?" He asked Slater.

"Yeah dad, thanks." Slater said nodding his head slowly. "They gave me a lot of pain medication before I left the hospital so I wouldn't feel it when we were coming in."

"Good to know. I think I'll go and start some lunch for the three of us. I am sure you two have some things to catch up on." He said before he left the room.

"Hey mama." Slater whispered with a small smile at Jessie.

"Pig." Jessie said rolling her eyes before she grinned and walked over to the bed. "It's good to see you out of that hospital and back here."

"Why did you miss me mama?" Slater asked wagging his eyebrows.

"Haha that's funny. I'm sorry that you got dragged into the middle of this." Jessie whispered the guilt that she was feeling still welling up inside her. 

"Hey none of that, this creep was bound to blow his top at some point, I'm just glad that we could be there for you." Slater said honestly as he realized Jessie was not giving in to the things that they had been saying to her. "When are you going to realize it was our decision to be there for you and nobody regrets it one bit. You're our friend, and well, my future wife, that means we are all in this together until this freak is caught."

"I just hope he hasn't gone after the others." Jessie whispered worriedly.

"He hasn't, I talked to Zack already." Slater told her with a reassuring smile. "Anyway Zack said that Kelly and Lisa have been busying planning our wedding for us. I don't think we are going to get much say in what happens on that day."

"I don't think I'll mind. Lisa said she was going to make the dresses and tuxes for us, free of charge." Jessie said with a slight laugh and smile.

"Yeah well I think she feels like it's about time we tied the knot and she didn't want us to try and postpone it because of money issues." Slater said shrugging his shoulders and then wincing as he felt that. 

"Pain meds wearing off?" Jessie asked catching the wince.

"Yeah well, they don't last forever that's for sure." Slater said with a small sigh. "Jessie I want a promise from you that no matter what you won't do anything foolish or dangerous."

"I promise." Jessie said seeing Slater start to pale. At the moment she would have promised him anything. "Let me go and see if your dad can give you anything to help the pain." 

"I don't think it's time yet. The nurse gave him a strict schedule." Slater said with a bead of sweat on his forehead. 

"Well let me go see." Jessie said getting up quickly and hurrying into the kitchen. Now more than ever she felt so guilty about what was happening. 

* * *

He was laughing at the scene in front of him. Everyone thought that this military base was so secure but here he was on it and ready to find out the information he needed. He wouldn't attack Jessie and Slater today, nope not today, because today he was just fishing for information so that he could form his plan of action. He waited until his inside source came and gave him the information he needed to find the house he was looking for. He noticed the military police officers roaming around and felt a little nervous but he was sure no one knew who he was or what he was there for. Finally he noticed his snitch coming towards him and felt the grin come onto his face. Soon Slater and Jessie would feel his wrath.


	26. Chapter 26

* * *

Ch. 26

Jessie rolled her neck from side to side as she sat in the bathtub trying to relax. Kelly and Lisa had called and said they were on their way there to help plan the wedding. Apparently no one was willing to wait any longer for the two of them to walk down the aisle. Jessie sighed as she decided that as hard as she was trying she wasn't going to be able to relax in the bathtub. Groaning she slowly pulled herself out of the tub and dried off. She couldn't help the bad feeling that was overwhelming her though as she glanced first at the closed and locked door and then at the window that was blocked by curtains. Something just wasn't right and she didn't like the feeling.

* * *

He laughed as he stood outside the Slater residence. He wanted to barge in there and kill everyone inside but that wouldn't be fun and it certainly wouldn't be practical. He had been told by his contact that there were plans for a wedding to take place soon, although it would be a little while since AC was unable to walk by himself or do anything else. They were going to wait a little while longer which was why he was going to use that wedding as his point of attack.

_Flashback_

_He threw the magazine in her face and laughed as she flinched away from him. He knew she was trying to find any way she could out of marrying him but he was going to make her. He could tell that she had found someone else to try and save her but what she didn't know was that he had taken care of that man. _

_"Emily, sweetie, you aren't ever going to leave me. If you ever try to leave me I will have to kill you." He whispered as he pointed at the bridal magazine. "Plan our wedding."_

_End Flashback_

He remembered the shocked look on his old girlfriends face as he whispered those words to her and he remembered how she had tried to escape to a battered women's shelter only to die in the end. No one knew where her body was stashed, but Jessie would soon learn because she would be joining his collection of girls. No one left him and lived to tell about it, no one was allowed to do that.

* * *

Jessie sat next to Slater's bed and rolled her eyes as he continued to argue with his father about when he was going to be able to marry her. She was about to speak up and then decided to just leave the room and let the father and son discussion continue without her present.

"Mama don't you leave now, this is your wedding to." Slater said interrupting her.

"Why do you call her mama?" His father asked rolling his eyes. "She is going to be your wife, which reminds me that she doesn't even have an engagement ring."

"Yes she does." Slater said frowning.

"No I don't." Jessie said confused.

"Dad, can you grab my bag from the hotel?" Slater asked as he realized he had forgotten to give Jessie the ring he had bought for her. After he got the bag he slowly dug through until he came across his purchase and handed the box to Jessie. He watched her carefully as she opened it and smiled when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"Slater, when did you get this?" She asked pulling the ring out and slipping it on her ring finger on her left hand.

"Back on our last trip I guess you could call it. It was before you told me your news in the hotel, I guess I was thrown off by that and I didn't give it to you." Slater said shrugging as he smiled at her. "I'm glad you like it."

"I more than like it, I love it." Jessie said as she leaned over and gave him a kiss. "You are the sweetest man I know."

"Hey I take offense to that." His dad said jokingly.

"Well you raised him so that has to say something good about you to." Jessie reminded him with a smirk on her face.

"So it does." He responded nodding his head.

* * *

Kelly and Lisa were excited as they exited the plan on the military base. They were so happy that they were finally getting the chance to plan a wedding for their two best friends. Lisa had come with material galore because it had been decided she was making the dresses. She needed to give Jessie her last measurement fitting before actually finishing the dresses. She smiled as they were met by a cute military man who seemed intent on flirting with Lisa as he drove them towards the housing area on the base.

"So tell me, are you going to the wedding?" Lisa asked flirtatiously.

"I might just go to see you." The man answered with his own flirtatious smile.

"Right answer." Lisa said simply with a smirk on her face.

* * *

Jessie nearly squealed with delight as she saw her two friends heading towards her. It was so much fun knowing that she was finally getting a chance to plan her wedding. She knew that Zack and Screech were going to be coming a little bit later, but it was best that the girls got here as quickly as possible to plan the wedding.

"I missed you two." Jessie said with a huge smile.

"We missed you to. We're glad to see you smiling and relaxed again Jessie. It's almost like you are the old you again." Kelly said honestly as she hugged her friend.

"Uh oh that can only mean that she is going to start asking about math calculations and stuff." Lisa joked rolling her eyes. "Nice rock." She said pointing to Jessie's hand.

"Thanks." Jessie said as she lifted her hand so the girls could get a better look, unaware that they had already seen the ring.

"How's he doing?" Kelly asked softly.

"He's getting better every day." Jessie responded with a shrug.

* * *

He glared at the three women standing on the front porch talking. He was getting madder and madder. There were no more bruises on Jessie's face which meant he was slipping. He needed to find a way to get to her again and fast. He might not be able to wait until the wedding to hurt her.


	27. Chapter 27

Ch. 27

Jessie smiled as she heard her friends in the other room talking with Slater. She shook her head as she stirred the sauce on the stove. She felt so domesticated now, that it was almost like she was already married. She frowned as a new thought entered her head. He wasn't going to let her get married, there was no way he was going to let her go that easily. She bit her bottom lip as she heard footsteps enter the kitchen and saw Lisa standing there.

"He's not going to let it happen you know." Jessie whispered the fear in her voice made it clear who she was talking about.

"He won't have a choice." Lisa said as she walked over and hugged her friend.

"Why did I have to be so stupid?" Jessie asked with a sigh. "I got my friends involved in something like this and put everyone in danger because I am a total idiot."

"No Jessie you aren't an idiot, you're human." Lisa said as she continued to hug her friend. "Look sometimes we breakdown and become blind to something that would normally be pretty obvious to us. You were going through a lot in your life and you thought you had found someone who understood that. There is no shame in what you were feeling or who you were with."

"You always did know how to make me feel better." Jessie said as she turned back towards the sauce that was cooking. "Would you mind checking on the garlic bread in the oven for me?"

"Sure." Lisa said with a smirk on her face.

"What?" Jessie asked knowing full well what was on Lisa's mind.

"You are going to make Slater one happy guy." Lisa said simply as she pulled the bread out of the oven.

* * *

He sat in his apartment building alone, staring at the video footage he had been sent. Jessie thought that everything was secure and safe for the wedding but he had everything all planned. When it came right down to it he was going to make his big finale at the biggest day in her life. She should have just done what he told her to and everything would have been just fine. If she didn't make him so mad, just like all his past girlfriends, then maybe she wouldn't have ever felt his wrath. He heard a knock on the door and turned off the tape before making sure there was nothing visible that could give away his intentions of coming out here to Hawaii.

"Can I help you?" He asked answering the door and then smirked when he saw who was there. Oh yeah things were falling into place nicely.

* * *

Jessie was silent as she did the dishes that night. The next day she knew they were going out to actually pick out her wedding dress and that was something that was really freaking her out. She knew that everything was happening so fast for a reason but the fact that she didn't really know if she was ready to become a wife or not made the fast pace wedding planning a hard pill to swallow. She heard footsteps behind her and noticed her future father-in-law standing in the doorway. She turned off the water and wiped her hands on a dishtowel as she turned fully to face him.

"Everything all right?" Jessie asked concerned.

"My son seems to think you might be having doubts about the wedding." He answered her simply.

"I think I am just having the normal jitters." Jessie said looking at the ground. "I didn't think that I would be getting married anytime soon considering everything."

"My son loves you and we both know that he will always love you."

"I love him to." Jessie said confused at where this was going.

"I don't want him to get hurt again. I am not talking physically because that isn't your fault no matter what you say but I do mean emotionally. Please do not break his heart again."

"I have no intention of doing that." Jessie admitted softly, realizing that she really did mean it. As much as she wanted to protect him and her friends from this guy she knew she couldn't give Slater up.

* * *

Kelly smiled and then laughed aloud as Slater tried to add his input to the wedding. As much as he was trying to be helpful he was actually only making suggestions that he thought of on the spot without actually fully thinking them through. She glanced over at Lisa and noticed she was deep in thought about something and probably hadn't heard what was just said. Kelly rolled her eyes thinking it had something to do with the military man who had flirted with her earlier when they had been delivered safe and sound to the Slater front door.

"Lisa where are you?" Kelly asked finally getting annoyed enough to speak up.

"I am right here." Lisa said as she glanced at her friend.

"What are you thinking about?' Slater asked turning his head towards her.

"How much I can't wait until you and Jessie are finally married so I don't have to worry about the two of you." Lisa said with a smirk on her face. "Just think you are going to be saddled with the perfectionist for the rest of your life."

"I know." Slater said with a goofy grin on his face.

* * *

He waited patiently while his accomplice gave him the information he needed for the wedding day. Although there was no information on where the actual wedding was taking place just yet, it was quite clear it would be on the base somewhere. The man was willing to help him get the guns and any other weapons he needed to pull off his stunt. He was glad that he hadn't questioned him when he told him that Jessie was his wife who was cheating on him and attempting to marry someone else while still married to him. He knew that soon the truth would come out but by then he was sure that Jessica Spannow would be dead.


	28. Chapter 28

Ch. 28

Jessie spun around as she looked in the mirror checking out her wedding dress. She couldn't believe she was standing there in a wedding dress hoping to be married soon. She heard someone gasp from behind her and she turned to smile at her two friends. The dress was strapless and hugged her upper body and hips before flaring slightly at the legs. It had beading over the bodice with only slight beading on the very bottom of the dress.

"It's gorgeous Jessie." Lisa said biting her lower lip with a smile.

"Thanks." Jessie said trying not to cry herself.

"So is it the one?" Kelly asked as she glanced at the dresses Jessie had tried on before that.

"It's the one." Jessie nodded her head.

"I agree." Lisa said with a laugh. "Slater isn't going to want to stay for the reception when he sees you in that."

"You think it's to much?" Jessie asked with a slight frown.

"No, I think you found the perfect dress." Lisa said quickly putting her friends fears to rest.

* * *

Slater looked up when he heard footsteps and smiled when he saw his two friends standing there. He shook his head when he saw Zack's crazy outfit and then laughed hard when he saw what Screech was wearing.

"You two just get here?" Slater asked as they sat down.

"Yeah about an hour ago, there was a little bit of a holdup getting us here but you know we wouldn't miss you getting married for anything." Zack said with a smirk.

"Yeah since it's a miracle and all." Screech chimed in.

"Haha that's funny." Slater said sarcastically but then chuckled.

"So where are the women hiding anyway?" Zack asked looking around.

"Wedding dress shopping." Slater said with a shrug.

"Ahh they should be gone a while. It took Kelly five shops and she said it took 300 plus dresses to find the right one." Zack laughed.

"Well you know Jessie, she is precise. She knows what she likes and what she doesn't so she won't try something on or waste her time if she doesn't see anything that would come even close to making the cut." Slater said as he heard the front door open. "That might be them now."

"I'll check." Screech said leaving the room.

* * *

Jessie, Lisa and Kelly were walking down the walkway out in front of the base shops when they noticed the car following them slowly. All three women frowned and then nearly ran off when it stopped and a man in uniform got out and started to approach them.

"How can you hurt someone so bad?" The man asked addressing Jessie.

"What are you talking about?" Jessie asked confused.

"Your husband! He knows you're here and he knows about your wedding." The man said angrily.

"I am not married yet and if you're talking about who I think you are, he is wanted for kidnapping, murder and attempted murder." Jessie said sucking in a deep breath.

"You're lying." The man said suspiciously.

"I have no reason to lie to you, I don't even know you. I can prove it though, if you just look it up on the FBI website he is on their posted wanted list." Jessie said with a nervous glance. "Listen I love Slater and I know this man you are talking about, if you help him get to me, then you are helping him commit murder for no reason at all."

"I'll look it up and be in touch." The man said getting into the car and leaving.

Jessie, Lisa and Kelly all hurried back to the house afraid that someone else would attempt to get to them. Once they were inside Jessie collapsed on the sofa in tears. She had known he was here, she could feel it and now knowing he had connections on the base just made her dream of marrying Slater impossible. There was no way she could walk down the aisle knowing that he might be there, wanting to kill everyone she knew. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed hysterically.

* * *

Zack, Screech and Slater all heard the sobs coming from the front room and glanced at each other curiously. Earlier Slater's father had returned home and then left again so they weren't sure who was crying or why.

"Zack help me up. The doctor said I should start walking around anyway." Slater said reaching out to his friend.

Once Slater was on his feet the three men headed into the front room where they saw Jessie being comforted by Kelly and Lisa. They all shared a look before Slater slowly made his way to the couch and knelt in front of Jessie, despite the pain he was feeling. He pulled her hands away from her face and gently lifted her chin so she was looking at him.

"What happened?" He asked simply.

"He's here. He has connections on the base and he has been telling people I am his wife to get them to cooperate with him. Slater we can't get married, he will be there, I can feel it. We are so jinxed, we just aren't meant to be together." Jessie said sobbing.

"Hey never say that again. We are meant to be together and we are getting married. There is no one in the world that can stop me from becoming your husband, no matter how we have to do this. I know you want the wedding of your dreams but what if we eloped first and then when everything is over and done with, had a proper wedding where you wanted to?" Slater suggested.

"Sounds like a good idea Jessie." Lisa chimed in her hand still on her friends shoulder.

"I don't know, I just think he is going to find a way to get to us anyway." Jessie said sniffing.

"What if we use this as an opportunity to trap him?" Zack asked his scheming mind coming into play. "I mean think about it, we could use this as a chance to being him out of hiding and catch him."

"I like how you think preppy, okay what's the plan?" Slater asked nodding his head.


	29. Chapter 29

* * *

Ch. 29

Jesse, Kelly and Lisa were sitting in the special lounge room set up for them. Jesse was getting more and more nervous. She had the pre-wedding jitters and on top of that she had to think of the plan they had come up with. This was not how she had pictured her wedding day being. Groaning she glanced at her two best friends and felt the tears welling in her eyes. She knew they all wanted what was best for her, but today just felt wrong. She loved Slater with all her heart and she wanted to marry him but using her wedding as a way to trap a psycho just felt wrong.

"I can't do it." Jesse whispered knowing her friends heard her.

"Jesse listen to us. After you two are married we are going to plan a beautiful proper wedding. One where we know there isn't going to be a crazy maniac showing up but you know you need to do this today. How else are you going to get this guy to learn to leave you alone?" Kelly asked softly.

"I know that you're right and I know that we need to go through with this I just can't help but feel horrible about doing this on my wedding day." Jesse said biting her lower lip.

"Hey look at it this way when this is all said and done this guy will not be able to hurt anyone ever again." Lisa said with a giggle. "Look Jesse we love you and Slater loves you and right now all you have to know is that nothing is going to happen to you tonight out there."

"Okay, then let's do this." Jesse said with a sigh.

* * *

Slater was nervous as he stood next to Zack and Screech. He sucked in a deep breath and hoped that everyone was on the same page and in position. She wanted to make sure that no one was going to make a move they weren't supposed to and most importantly he needed to know that Jesse was going to be protected at all times. He groaned as he realized that someone was missing and he wasn't sure where they were.

"Slater relax man, everything is going to be just fine." Zack whispered to his friend. "You are going to be a married man at the end of this ceremony and with any luck we are going to finally get this freak that has been after Jesse."

"You think so?" Slater whispered back.

"I know so." Zack whispered and then sighed as the music started and Lisa walked down the aisle.

By the time the wedding march started everyone was on edge, hoping that everything would work out. Everyone gasped when Jesse was walking down the aisle with her father on her arm. Slater sucked in a deep breath at how beautiful she looked and could feel Zack patting him on the back.

"You ready to marry her?" Zack whispered with a grin.

"Always have been." Slater whispered back in awe of his bride.

* * *

Jesse smiled as she got to the front and stood there as her father finally handed her over to Slater. She could see the look on his face and knew that they were finally doing the right thing. The vows went by in a blur for Jesse who was starting to feel apprehensive. He hadn't shown up yet and Slater was starting to let his guard down, she could see a lot of people were relaxing.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride." The priest said as Jesse and Slater kissed she could see movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked over and noticed someone she didn't recognize holding a gun pointed at Slater.

"Get down!" Jesse yelled as she tackled Slater and the man started shooting.

Slater flipped them over so he was lying on top of Jesse and kept his eyes focused on the Military Police Officer's who had returned fire and were running towards the now fallen body.

"He sent someone else to see if it was a setup or not. He knew, someone told him what was going on." Jesse whispered with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Jesse it's going to be okay. We are going to find him and we are going to take care of business soon enough." Slater said as he kissed his new wife's forehead. "Besides your stuck with me from now on so don't even think of trying to say that I would be better off without you. You are now Mrs. Slater."

* * *

When the excitement had died down Slater slowly got off of Jesse, his injuries that were still healing were screaming when Zack helped him to his feet. Screech came over and picked Jesse up from the ground and she winced. She looked at Kelly and Lisa and noticed they were both as filthy as she was.

"Well it wouldn't be the wedding of the century without some excitement now would it be?" Jesse joked trying to lighten the mood. "I am going to go and changed and I think my bridesmaids need to change as well."

* * *

Jesse, Kelly and Lisa were in a room getting into the outfits they had as backups so they wouldn't have to be in their uncomfortable dresses. Jesse bit her bottom lip and sighed as she realized that they weren't doing any wedding photo's. They had decided early on they would do those on another day, since the plan was to trap the guy who wanted to kill her so badly.

"Jesse can you believe it you are married to AC Slater?" Lisa said with a giggle.

"I honestly never thought I would see the day when I would marry my high school sweetheart." Jesse said evenly.

"Well now that you think about it, you are finally going to have a chance at real happiness with a guy who will never hurt you Jesse. You don't have to be afraid anymore." Lisa said with a serious look.

"I am always going to be afraid until he is caught Lisa. He's going to keep trying to get to me until he kills me." Jesse said with a small cry.


	30. Chapter 30

Ch. 30

Jesse watched as people danced and ate the food at the reception. Jesse could tell that her friends were watching her closely since she had barely smiled since walking into the room. She felt the weight of her wedding band on her left ring finger but it didn't seem to matter. She glanced at her new husband and noticed the frown on his face and she knew it was because of her that it was there. She had promised to try and at least enjoy the reception however it seemed to be impossible to her. She put a smile on her face as she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"You need to stop worrying about me." She whispered to him.

"Considering we are married now I don't think that's possible anymore. Of course it was never possible that I could stop worrying about you." Slater said with a slight smile. "You know you are everything to me right?"

"As you are everything to me." Jesse responded with a nod of her head.

"Try and smile for the sake of our friends at least. They won't even attempt to have any type of fun until you seem to be enjoying yourself." Slater said with a nod towards the group that was standing together staring at them.

"Then I guess maybe you should attempt to sing karoke." Jesse joked considering Slater was still to sore to dance with her.

"Nah, I think I can swing you on the dance floor for a little while." Slater said with a grin as he dragged his new wife onto the dance floor and motioned for his friends to join them.

"So the newlyweds decided to finally let loose on the dance floor?" Lisa asked with a giggle as she danced with Screech.

"Well it was better than watching you four over there moping." Jesse said with a smirk.

"Oh, well, maybe we wouldn't have been moping if you two would just appear to enjoy your reception." Lisa teased as she noticed Jesse starting to lighten up. "I'm really happy that two more of my best friends have finally tied the knot."

"Does it make you want to get married?" Kelly asked as she danced with Zack.

"Hey, getting married would mean no more dating a bunch of different cute guys at a time. I don't think I am ready to settle down yet." Lisa said with a serious look that turned into a grin when she saw a cute soldier a few feet away.

"Should have known better." Kelly muttered under her breath and then shot her friend a knowing grin.

* * *

Kelly and Zack snuck off an hour later and sat down outside the reception hall. Both had worried looks on their faces with grim smiles.

"I don't think they can handle any more hits. Why is this guy so obsessed with taking out Jesse? Why can't he just leave her alone?" Kelly asked her husband with a shake of her head. "She can't handle this anymore."

"I know she can't. I have known Jesse awhile and she is usually pretty tough but at the moment she seems so down on herself. I haven't seen her this bad in a long while. I'm afraid if this guy isn't taken care of soon she might lose it in a bad way Kel." Zack said with a sigh. He glanced behind him where the sounds of music and laughter were drifting out of the hall and then back at his wife. "I can't let my two best friends down. Not this time Kelly."

"We won't let anyone down, we have to find this guy and find a way to take him out of the picture, before he gets to Jesse again." Kelly said holding onto Zack. "There is something I just don't get."

"What?" Zack asked her with a grim look on his face.

"How could Jesse not see him for who he was? I mean think about it, Jesse has always been the smart one out of all of us. She has always been the one with the best grades and the one who could see things for what they were. Why couldn't she see him for who he really was?" Kelly asked confused.

"Why couldn't Jesse see herself for who she was when she got addicted to those pills?" Zack asked simply. "Think about it, the mind will only see things you let it see. Jesse was probably lonely without any of her friends around her and she looked for comfort anywhere she could get it."

"With the wrong guy, he took advantage of her and we need to make him pay for that." Kelly said forcefully.

"We will Kelly, we will." Zack said simply and then he got up. "We should get back in there."

"Yeah we should." Kelly nodded her head in agreement.

* * *

Jesse watched as her friends all danced and laughed as she sat at the head table with her husband. She could tell Slater was exhausted and sore but he wasn't letting on how bad he felt. She wanted to scream in anger at the man who had ruined her wedding and the man who was ruining her life but she didn't know where he was hiding. She looked at all the people in the room and tried to tell if he was hiding in there or whether one of them was guilty of being his inside person. She didn't know who to trust anymore when it came to him. He was slowly taking over her life and making her into a person she didn't want to be. All she wanted was to be happy with Slater and to start a family. Her dream was to be a mother but there was no way she could seriously think about that when someone was tormenting her in this manner. She needed to find a way out of this and fast. There had to be a way to set a trap for him that he wouldn't know about. That had to be her first priority, taking out the man who was determined to kill her.


	31. Chapter 31

Ch. 31

After the reception was over Jesse made sure that Slater took a pain pill and went to sleep. He was embarrassed that their wedding night he was going to be knocked out cold but Jesse just reminded him they would have another wedding night because they were going to have another wedding. After she was sure he was out cold she immediately went to work attempting to figure out her own plan on how she was going to trap her ex and get him out of her life for good. She knew she should tell someone what she was thinking about doing but she didn't want to endanger anyone else. This was her mistake and it was her problem so it was something she needed to take care of as soon as possible.

"Come on Jesse you need to find a way to take care of your mistake and you need to figure it out as soon as possible." Jesse muttered to herself as she sat on the couch in the hotel room she and Slater were staying in.

* * *

Zack was sitting in front of his lap top computer with a blank screen in front of him. He was trying to come up with a new plan but there was nothing coming to mind. He looked over at Kelly who was fast asleep in bed and he smiled. He was grateful that Kelly wasn't this crazy man's target but at the same time he felt guilty for thinking that way. Jesse was one of his best friends and she had always been there for him. Why couldn't he help her? Why couldn't they get this guy off her back? Most importantly he wanted to know why this guy wouldn't give up on Jesse? What was it about her that made this guy want to keep trying to get to her?

"There has to be something I'm missing or something that she hasn't told us. There is something going on that she doesn't want to confide in us, I know it's true." Zack said to himself with a sigh. He was going to figure this out and he was going to save his friend. He just wished he could feel like she was being honest with him about everything. He was sure she was holding something back and it was that something that scared him the most.

* * *

Jesse was pacing now as she thought about a new plan of action. She was sure no one would agree to what she had thought of but it was the only way and she was sure of it. She bit her bottom lip as she walked over and stood over Slater who was snoring lightly. She wanted to climb into bed next to him and just hold him and pretend there was nothing wrong in the world but that was impossible. Instead she picked up a pad of paper and a pen and wrote a note for him. She changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and sneakers before grabbing car keys and her cell phone and leaving. This had to end and she was going to make it end if it was the last thing she did to protect the people she loved the most.

* * *

Zack was at a loss for a plan and decided to give up and go to bed but he couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen. He got up and paced around the room, attempting to shake the feeling that was creeping from his gut and clenching inside his chest. He felt sick to his stomach and his mind was spinning, he knew without a doubt that his best friend had decided to take matters into her own hands and he knew there was nothing he could do to stop her.

"Jesse what are you up to?" Zack whispered to himself.

* * *

Slater woke up in the dark hotel room and reached for his new wife but felt nothing but the cold bed. He frowned as he turned on his bedside lamp and sat up looking around the room. Jesse was nowhere in sight and he felt his gut clench. He noticed the note sitting on the table next to the bed where he had been sleeping and picked it up, reading his wife's handwriting. He closed his eyes against the wave of fear and pain that caused his stomach to roll and immediately climbed out of bed. He was going to have to call the others and they were going to have to find a way to track down Jesse before it was to late.

* * *

Jesse was looking around at the empty building she was now standing in. She bit her bottom lip and stared at the phone in her hand. In a few minutes she was going to call her ex and attempt to get him to meet with her. She was hoping that she could find a way to get him to see that she wasn't the one he wanted and that there was someone else out there for him and maybe he would leave her alone. She sighed as she realized almost immediately how stupid her thinking was. He had tried to kill her more than once, someone who put that much effort into something wasn't just going to look the other way and leave her alone.

"You're being stupid now just like you were in the beginning Jesse." She muttered to herself and decided to just go home. She looked up when she heard a loud noise and knew she had really messed up this time. Now it was up to her to get herself out this mess and fast.

"I knew you would come to me when you could. You don't really love that man and you don't want to be with your friends. You just had to see the error of your ways." He said walking out of the shadows.

Jesse turned and faced the man that had haunted her for months. The man who was responsible for hurting and attempting to kill her friends, she stared at him with nothing but hatred and contempt in her eyes and tried to think of what she was going to do now that she was alone with him and no one knew where she was.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Jesse stared into the face of the man that had been haunting her for so long. She wasn't all that sure what she was going to do now that she was here. She had realized almost immediately the error of her ways in thinking she could handle this on her own but there was nothing she could do about that now.

"I just want to know why you can't let me go? What is it about me that makes you think you have to have me?" Jesse asked softly not sure what was going to set him off and wanting nothing more than to make sure she didn't say or do anything stupid at this point.

"I never let go of what's mine and you will always belong to me." He said with an angry glare at her. "We belong together Jesse."

"No we don't. Please just let me go, just let me be." Jesse pleaded hoping to find some way to get to him.

* * *

Slater was frantic as he stared at his friends who had all come down to the room when he called. He could tell they were just as worried as he was. He couldn't understand why Jesse would do something so stupid as to go on her own over somewhere that could eventually get her killed. All he kept thinking about was the fact that they were married and she had completely thrown that fact away and tried to handle something this huge on her own. He could tell that Lisa, Screech, Zack and Kelly were all trying to come up with places that Jesse could have gone off to or even ideas of where to start looking. The only problem with that was that Slater was sure by the time they came up with the right one it would be to late, if it wasn't already to late.

* * *

Jesse could tell that she had hit a nerve just by the deadly look she was getting from him. He was positively going to make her life miserable if she didn't come up with a solution and fast. There had to be a way that she could get herself out of this situation and for good. What good was having a high IQ and amazing grades if you couldn't use them to get yourself out of trouble. She bit her bottom lip nervously as she stared at the man in front of her.

"What can I do to make you see that I am not the one for you? What would make you realize that you don't belong with me but that you belong with someone else?" Jesse asked with a soft whisper.

"There is nothing you can do or say to make me believe we can't be together. We belong together Jesse. It's been us against the world for so long and there is nothing or no one who can change that. Remember when Slater hurt you, when he started dating all those other girls and wouldn't even look twice at you? Remember how broken you were and how I was the one who put you back together?" He asked with that look in his eyes that had gotten to Jesse in the first place.

Jesse knew she couldn't let him win. She couldn't fall for the same things she had fallen for the first time. There had to be a way out of this and she had to find it fast before it was to late. She groaned internally as she tied to find something that would make him see the light. She had to reason with him, but what she was terrified of was the fact that she might not be able to get him to see any type of reason at all.

* * *

Slater was looking over the lists in front of him, hoping that something would jump off the page at him and make him realize where Jesse was at this very moment. He needed to find his wife and he needed to find her fast.

"Slater, Jesse knows how to take care of herself. She wouldn't have gone there without some sort of backup plan in place." Lisa said trying to reassure everyone including herself. "She might have gotten someone else to go with her, someone she wouldn't feel so guilty about getting hurt."

"We all know Jesse wouldn't have done that. She is trying to solve her own problems again without letting anyone else in. She doesn't want accept the fact that now she has more people who are willing to put their lives on the line to keep her safe. What's it going to take for her to see reason and know this isn't just her problem anymore?" Slater asked frustrated. He felt like putting his fist through a wall but knew that wouldn't solve any issues right now. He felt like a failure as a husband and there was nothing anyone else could say that could make it any better. Jesse didn't feel like she could count on him and that cut and hurt worse than any of the physical wounds he already had.

* * *

Jesse was backed into the wall and knew there was no place for her to run at this point. From the look of the man standing in front of her she was in deep trouble and no one in the near vicinity could get her out of this one. She hadn't been able to reason with him like she thought she could. There was nothing she could make him understand. He was advancing on her quickly and there was nothing she could do to make him stop. She looked around quickly for a weapon and noticed the broken pipes lying close by. She hadn't actually even used a weapon on anyone and the last person she had hit was her brother. But this situation was different it could mean the difference between life or death, her life or death. Could she really be forced to attack another human being with a weapon?


	33. Chapter 33

* * *

Ch. 33

Jesse wasn't sure whether she could actually do it. She made a slow move towards the pipe making sure that he couldn't see what she was reaching for. She needed to get to the weapon otherwise she wasn't going to get away this time and he might actually kill her. She was almost to the pipe when she caught his eye and she stopped moving so he wouldn't know what she was trying to do. If he saw the pipe he might get to it before her or he might kill her before she had a chance to get to it and then she would be in trouble. Jesse was becoming more and more disgusted with herself and her stupid decision to come here alone. She always acted before thoroughly thinking about what she was going to do.

"Look you don't want to hurt me." Jesse said. "Stephen you don't want to do anything that you might regret later on."

"I won't regret doing this to you. After everything I did for you. I helped you get over that idiot and you go and marry someone else?! What were you thinking about? Did you think that you could get away from me that easily?" Stephen asked with an angry scowl on his face.

"Why do you think that I left? What makes you think that there is anyone who would want to be with a man who hits them?" Jesse asked finding that courage that had brought her here in the first place. "All you do is abuse innocent people because you are no one. You are no better than the gum on the bottom of a tennis shoe." Jesse said with an angry glare. Finally she made a quick move and grabbed the pipe slamming it into his head as hard as she could and then she ran like there was no tomorrow.

Jesse could hear Stephen giving chase behind her but she had a head start. She made it out of the warehouse in record time and ran like there was a chance she would die if she stopped. She knew she was out of shape when her calves started burning and her lungs felt like they were on fire. She kept pushing her body further as she kept on running and ignored the feeling that was creeping up her spine. She knew that he was most likely gaining on her but she was outside and she knew she could find someone to help her if she just made it to the main road. She knew getting to her car was out, she had dropped the keys inside the warehouse somewhere.

* * *

Slater could feel that Jesse was in trouble but there was nothing he could do about it. There was nothing like a feeling of knowing the person you loved was in trouble and there was nothing you could do to get them out of it. He could tell that everyone was feeling the same helpless feeling he was feeling and that they were just as scared as he was for Jesse but there was nothing he could say or do to relieve those fears when he felt them himself.

"We have to find her and we have to find her fast!" Lisa practically shouted as she began pacing back and forth.

"We will Lisa! Nothing is going to happen to her now that we finally got her married to Slater. We have been hoping this would happen and now that it has there is no way anything is going to go wrong now." Kelly said stubbornly. "We have to find her and I know we will."

* * *

Zack watched as his wife and his friends all fought over whether they would find Jesse in time or not. He felt like screaming at all of them to shut up but he knew they were all just trying to sort through the scary emotions they were feeling. He felt like screaming out in frustration more than anything. He didn't understand why after everything this guy had done, that Jesse felt the need to face him alone. That's when he realized what this was about. Jesse needed to face him alone to get her pride and courage back. She needed to know that she could face her own demons. This was about making herself feel more human again.

* * *

Jesse made it to the main road but she knew that Stephen was close behind her. She didn't see a car in sight and she groaned as she ran down the road towards the town lights. She was hoping that eventually someone would come and save her but she knew that it was a long shot. She glanced back and realized her mistake when she saw Stephen right there. He jumped her from behind and knocked her down and Jesse turned around when she hit the ground so that she would be facing him and able to fight back. When he was on top of her Jesse made a fist and hit him hard over and over again, hoping to get him off of her. When she finally brought her leg up and kicked him and he was off of her she got to her feet and ran faster than she thought she could. There had to be a car somewhere that would come and get her. Where was Slater when she needed him the most?

* * *

The whole gang was in the car driving around. They were trying to find some clue as to where Jesse would have gone and where they could find her. They were just hoping that the damage that was done wasn't permanent and that they got to her in time. Slater was sitting in the passenger seat opting out of driving knowing he wouldn't be able to concentrate and he could tell that Zack wasn't fond of the task either. They drove out of the town limits and that's when they saw her. Jesse was running towards them with blood on her and a frightened look on her face and then they saw a man tackle her from behind and she went down hard.


	34. Chapter 34

Ch. 34

Slater jumped out of the car before it was completely stopped and ran over to the two of them. He already knew Zack was on the phone calling 911 and that help would be here soon but he was going to finally get his hands on the man who had physically beaten the woman he had loved since high school. He grabbed the man and put him in a choke hold as he held on using what strength he had since the accident. He knew that the man might be able to get out of it because he wasn't sure what he had in him.

"I want you to stay away from my wife!" Slater yelled at the guy as he let the guy out of the chokehold and they started fist fighting.

"Slater be careful." Jesse said from her spot on the ground. Both Lisa and Kelly had rushed over to her making sure she was all right.

"Don't worry about him, we all know Slater can take care of himself." Kelly said as she brushed Jesse's hair out of her face. "We need to know if you are all right. Zack just called for the police and an ambulance and no arguments you are going to let them take you to a hospital to get checked out."

"I don't have the energy to argue." Jesse said with a soft sigh. She was getting more and more scared with each blow that the two men delivered to each other and she was hoping that the police would get there soon. With all of his injuries she wasn't sure how much longer that Slater could keep it up. She knew though that Zack would jump in if Slater faltered and couldn't continue the fight. She could already see him clenching his fists at his side waiting for a shot at Stephen.

"Come on Slater just a few more minutes and then the MP's will be here. We are still on the base so we had to call in the Military police department." Screech yelled out to Slater.

* * *

Jesse was listening closely for any type of siren. She knew that Slater was starting to feel his old injuries coming up on him and that was causing a problem. Jesse started to get up but felt the hand on her shoulder pushing her back down.

"You're not getting involved in this." Kelly said firmly as she kept her hand on her shoulder. "This is up to the men now. You got it this far and that's okay, now you have to let your husband and your friends handle it from here."

"Slater can't last much longer, someone needs to jump in and help him out." Jesse whispered to Lisa and Kelly. She could see the worry in the two women's eyes which only made her feel worse about what she did but it was finally going to be over. As soon as Stephen was in jail things would be better.

* * *

"Zack!" Slater called out letting his friend know he was out of it. Everyone watched as Zack jumped into the fight and Slater backed out of it. It was a bad attack as Zack and Stephen fought. They both fell to the ground rolling around, taking turns on top. The punches were hard and you could hear it as the fist hit someone's face. Jesse was getting frantic as she watched the fighting and was begging for the MP's to hurry and get there.

* * *

Sirens wailed in the background as the police rushed onto the scene and separated the two. As Jesse was allowed to talk and tell her story, Stephen was arrested and everyone else headed towards the hospital. Jesse was bleeding badly and it turned out she had internal bleeding as well. As they waited around the waiting room Jesse was rushed into surgery. Slater glanced at his friends and could tell they were just as worried as he was. The only good news that came out of this was that the Military police had apprehended Stephen and they weren't letting him go.

"Why is it that we always seem to come to late to stop her from getting hurt?" Kelly asked with a frustrated voice.

"Because Jesse makes the decision to leave without telling us where she is going." Zack reminded her with a small smile.

"They aren't going to bring Stephen here are they?" Lisa asked as she remembered the way he had looked. He had mentioned he needed medical attention and the Military had said it was his right to have it.

"They already did. He is on the prisoners floor though." Slater informed her evenly. His mind was with his wife and the surgeons who were working on Jesse. He believed that everything should have already been done. Something must have gone terribly wrong if they weren't done yet. He walked over to where they were working on Jesse and looked through the window.

Thankfully a nurse saw him and came out of the surgery room and stood there with a look on her face. "We are almost done Mr. Slater so please go back and wait in the waiting room area we will come and get you when the surgery is complete."

"Thank you." Slater said not knowing what else to say. "Please just take care of my wife." He said softly to the nurse. She smiled at him and nodded before heading back into the surgical room.

* * *

Kelly looked up as Slater walked back into the room and sat down. She could tell already that he was scared and down. She wanted to comfort him but there was no way she could, not when she was just as scared as he was. She wanted her best friend to be all right. She kept thinking back to high school and all the fun that she and Jesse had. She remembered the times when she was down and Jesse was there for her. Why wasn't she the one Jesse could turn to, to talk about Stephen? Now Jesse was in surgery and may lose her life because she felt like there was no one she could trust to help her tonight.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Slater was sitting next to Jesse in the recovery room. She was hooked up to a lot of machines and there was even one breathing for her. Slater could feel the tears flowing out of his eyes and down his cheeks as he stared at his unconscious wife. The doctors had told him she was in pretty bad shape but it seemed like she was a fighter and was hanging on. They weren't sure how long she would have to remain in the medical induced coma so that her body could heal but they would stop keeping her unconscious when they felt her body had healed enough.

"Hey how is she?" Kelly asked and then her eyes went wide at the sight of Jesse hooked up to all the machines and she felt horrible. "How long is she going to be like this?"

"Don't know, they said until her body has healed enough." Slater answered as he looked at all his friends who stood in the room.

"Do they have a time frame for that?" Screech asked feeling a little awkward staring at the smart Jesse with a tube down her throat. "Did he finally do it?" He whispered.

"Do what?" Lisa asked angrily. "Jesse is a fighter and no one is going to take her away from us. This stupid idiot is not going to win, there is no way Jesse is going to leave Slater not when they just got married and she is finally happy. She wants to have kids with him."

"How do you know all this?" Zack asked his jaw dropped to the ground.

"She told me. She told me all of this before they even got back together. She told me she regretted not telling him the truth and how she felt horrible being with someone like Stephen when she had someone as wonderful as Slater before. She wanted to be with him but figured she never would get the chance again." Lisa said with a sigh. "She finally gets what she really deserves and her stupid decision causes this. I swear the two of you are going to give me a heart attack."

"Sorry but we do the things we think are right and we aren't always right but it's what we think." Slater said before a machine started beeping next to him causing him to jump. He looked at it and saw that Jesse's heart rate had suddenly sped up. Slater hit the nurse call button and got out of his seat trying to calm her down. "Jesse it's okay, your okay Jesse." He whispered to her while stroking her hair.

The nurse came rushing in and pushed him out of the way as the doctor came in as well. The two of them studied her and then gave her some medicine. "It looks to me like she is fighting the drugs we gave her to let her sleep. We are going to have to wake her or else her heart will tire out and we will lose her." The doctor said shaking his head. "I think this is only the second time in my career I have seen this happen."

"Jesse is a rare one at times. She is as smart as can be and even has her medical degree and is getting ready for medical school." Lisa said with a smile and then as she saw the shocked looks around her gave a shrug of her shoulder.

"No one told me that." Slater said knowing his wife was smart but he didn't think she wanted to be a doctor.

"Yeah well Jesse put a lot of things on hold because of Stephen and it's your job to convince her to finish school now Slater. She is your wife and that makes her your responsibility." Lisa said with a scowl.

* * *

Jesse's eyes popped open and she tried to talk but with a tube down her throat it was impossible. She knew better than to make sudden movements or attempt to pull it out on her own because of the medical knowledge she already had. Jesse looked at the doctor expectantly but was shocked when he shook his head and handed her a pad of paper and a pen.

"Your lungs were damaged and in no shape to work on their own. You are going to have to deal with the tube for your body's sake for a few days I am afraid. It's why we wanted to keep you unconscious but you must have really wanted to see these people because you fought that medicine like mad. You had us all really worried Mrs. Slater." The doctor said using her married name for the first time. Jesse attempted a smile when she heard it and out of the corner of her eyes she saw the rest of gang smiling at the mention of her married name.

"Thank you doctor, we will make sure that she only uses that pad and pen to communicate. No shaking or nodding your head either Jesse." Kelly said with a pointed glare. She was still a little angry that Jesse had done this by going out without telling them or taking someone with her.

After the doctor left Jesse wrote something on the paper and handed it to Slater. He looked at her and smiled, kissing her forehead.

"Jesse said she is sorry to have worried us but she had to do this for herself. She needed to try and build herself back up and she knew she screwed up the moment she faced him alone but she feels stronger and better." Slater said with a smile at the others. "I think she has suffered enough there is no reason to be mad at her for something that is already done and over with."

Jesse wrote something else down and reached it out towards Kelly who walked over and took the pad of paper from her.

After Kelly read it she sighed and smiled a little. "You're right I am a little mad but only because I don't want to lose you. We are supposed to have kids together so that they can grow up at the same time. We are supposed to be pregnant at the same time and how are we gonna do that if you constantly put yourself in danger?"


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Jesse was getting annoyed with this whole thing. She hated that she couldn't talk and the tube down her throat was causing issues. She knew that the longer it stayed down the more damage it could cause but the doctor was being very stubborn and he was positive that her lungs were just too damaged to handle breathing on her own. She watched as her friends laughed and were playing a card game. It was annoying her that she had to lie flat on the bed and wait for her lungs to heal and she couldn't participate in the things that they were doing.

"Hey mama, how are you feeling today?" Slater asked as he kissed Jesse on the forehead.

Jesse gave him an annoyed look and picked up the pen and paper. She wrote her answer on it and handed it to her husband who chuckled when he read it. She knew that he was trying to make her feel better but there was nothing that would make her feel better.

"Hey Jesse the guys have decided that it's time for us to start families." Kelly said smiling as she walked over to the other side of her friend's bed.

Jesse arched her eyebrow as she glanced between her friend Kelly and her husband who was grinning widely.

"Zack and I just think that starting a family now is what would make everyone feel better." Slater said with a smile. "I can't wait till we have our own kids mama."

Jesse wrote something down on the pad of paper and handed it to her husband who laughed out loud as he passed it around. Everyone else broke out in smiles and then the pad of paper made its way back over to Jesse who was not thrilled that everyone was laughing at her.

"Jesse I love you and I can't wait until we start a family." Slater whispered in her ear, making it clear that no one else could hear what he was going to say.

* * *

A few days later Jesse was thrilled that the tube was finally pulled out of her throat and she was sitting up in bed and drinking water for the first time in days. She was rubbing the back of her neck when the hospital room door opened and someone she didn't recognize walked into the room.

"I'm sorry do I know you?" Jesse asked sweetly. Her voice was still hoarse and she winced at the scratchy sound of her voice. She grabbed her water and took another sip, trying to soothe her scratchy and sore throat.

"Jessica Spannow. Wow I must admit when I heard you were here in this hospital I was in shock. I mean Stephen, he has his way of handling things, but he could never really take care of his own problems." The man said sitting down on a chair and glaring at Jesse.

"I'm sorry, I don't know you or what you're talking about." Jesse said nervously. She kept her eyes on the man but glanced out of the corner of them at the nurse call button and wondered how long it would take for someone to get there. However if she pushed that button it would bring a nurse and if this man was dangerous it could cause more of a problem than help her. She didn't want to put anyone else in danger. She was racking her brain, trying desperately to figure out who the man sitting in front of her was but there was nothing in her brain that was helping her figure him out.

"We never met but I have heard a lot about you. From what I was told you were set to marry Stephen and then suddenly you changed your mind." The man said with a major glare.

"Well I guess I got a little tired of getting beat up all the time. It can really make someone change their mind about wanting to marry a person or even be around them or talk to them when they are constantly hurting you." Jesse said sarcastically.

"Well not that it matters anymore, anyway. Stephen is out of the way from what I hear. That's just fine with me, now I can inherit his family money and there is no one to contest it. I guess I should be grateful to you for taking care of my problem for me." The man said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"So what are you doing here? If all I did was help you, and I don't even know you, then there shouldn't be a problem, right?" Jesse asked nervously.

"Well there normally wouldn't be except it appears that Stephen's family really liked you and they left you some money to make up for their son hurting you. They wanted to make sure you went through medical school whether you stayed with Stephen or not. I have managed to kill most of the family members and anyone else that might get some money and so that just leaves you taking 10 million dollars from my money. That's way too much and I just can't let that happen, you understand?" The man said leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees.

"What if I give you the money and we pretend that we don't have a problem?" Jesse asked biting her lower lip. "I really don't want any money from that family, it would remind me way too much about Stephen and that is something I don't need."

"I don't think anyone would just let that happen. Do you think your husband would let you walk away from 10 million dollars?" The man said shaking his head.

"I die and then he inherits my money and you won't be able to kill him. Slater will let me make the decision about the money." Jesse said desperately trying to talk her way out getting killed. She had survived so much and now she finally had a chance to be happy and this guy was determined to kill her.

"Let me think about that." The man said as he reached in his pocket.

Jesse was sure that this was it and that she was dead. She closed her eyes and started picturing her friends and her husband. Her mind flashed to seeing him at the altar as she walked down the aisle and she felt the tears starting to fall from her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath and waited to lose her life.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Jesse knew she couldn't just lie in that bed and allow this man to kill her. She took a deep breath and swung her arm up and slammed it into the side of the guys head. She rolled to the other side of the bed, hitting the floor hard, grateful the nurse forgot to put that rail back up. She saw the man getting angry and he tried to get to her, she needed to find a way to get to the door but he was blocking it with a grin. Jesse knew she needed to scream, if she did someone would open the door and it would hit him and she could run out of the room. She was worried though if she did that than there was a chance that he would hurt whoever it was that came in the room.

"You aren't going to kill me!" Jesse said forcefully. She was thinking about the discussion she had been having with everyone about starting a family.

"What do you mean I am not going to kill you? I believe I make the decisions about what I am or am not going to do." The man said with a snarl. "You shouldn't have fought him, if you had just let him kill you then there wouldn't be a problem now. Now your husband could be an issue that needs to be resolved, once I finish with you in here, I will take care of him."

"You aren't laying a hand on me or my husband." Jesse said as the man approached her.

"Who is going to stop me?" The man asked with a smirk.

"I am." Slater said as he tackled the guy from behind. Once he was on top of him he slammed his fist into his jaw several times over. Once he was sure the man was unconscious he got up and grabbed a hold of his wife who was shaking badly. "It's okay mama, it's okay. He isn't going to hurt you."

"He isn't the only one. I just remembered who he is and Slater there is a team that he works with. What if they all come after us? What if this isn't the end of this whole thing? I just want to be your wife and I want to start a family, I want to, but how can we if we aren't sure if we are safe?" Jesse said with tears streaming down her face.

"Mama, listen to me Jesse, no matter what happens we are all going to stick together. We are going to buy a place with great security and from there we will handle things. We are going to be happy and if someone else comes after us then we can handle that when the time comes, until it comes we are not going to go around asking for trouble." Slater said with a smile as he kissed her forehead and helped her back to bed.

Security came in and they immediately cuffed the man and put him in a wheelchair since he was only semi conscious. The rest of the gang showed up and they all breathed a sigh of relief that the man hadn't killed Jesse, but the thought that more of them could be out there bothered all of them. Jesse was going to be released from the hospital and they were all set to go into hiding for a while.

* * *

Kelly smiled at all her friends nervously. She still hadn't told Zack her news and here she was prepared to announce it to everyone. All well, she wanted everyone to know and she figured once her news was out it wouldn't take long for Jesse to want the same thing, and that was something that she knew her friend really wanted.

"I'm pregnant." Kelly said suddenly.

"What?" Zack asked turning around, shock written all over his face as he stared at his wife. He had no clue that she was expecting or that he was going to be a daddy soon. "Are you sure?" He asked her in major shock.

"Yes I am sure. I went to a doctor and they ran the tests and they confirmed what I suspected. So now we are going to go somewhere nice and private and Jesse and Slater are going to work on becoming pregnant because we promised each other that our kids would be best friends and close in age so you have no choice anymore Jesse and Slater." Kelly said with a stern and serious look on her face.

"Oh my gosh! This is great news!" Lisa said excited. "I am planning the baby shower and when Jesse is ready for hers I am planning hers. I can't believe it, my best friend is pregnant and my other best friend is going to get pregnant!"

Jesse looked between everyone in the room. They were all deciding that she was going to get herself knocked up real soon, they didn't bother to talk to her about it. She didn't mind the thought of having a baby with her husband but the thought that they all thought she needed to hurry and get pregnant just so her baby could be born close to Kelly's made her a little upset. She believed that you should bring a child into the world when you were ready for it, ready to love it. As much as she wanted to be a mommy she didn't think that it was safe for her to become one just yet.

"I know what you're thinking. Why don't we do this, we go into hiding for a few months and see what happens? If you get pregnant than that will be great news and if you don't then we can work on that later." Slater suggested to his nervous and quiet wife.

"When do we leave?" Jesse asked in her own way agreeing to his deal.

"As soon as your discharged we are heading out and no one is going to know where the six of us are heading. It's going to be you, me, Lisa, Screech, Kelly and Zack. At least we will be there to help Kelly and Zack adjust to the fact they are about to become parents." Slater said with a grin.

As much as she was happy about everything that was going down, she was a little nervous to. She hoped that this getaway would be the thing to get them all on track and she hoped that there would be no more problems and no one else would come after her or her friends and family. Only time would tell.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Jesse was staring out the window of the bedroom she would be sharing with her husband while they were on this hideaway trip. She could hear everyone as they were playing outside on the beach. She was the only one inside the house and it was driving her insane. She knew that she was still recovering from her injuries and that she needed rest, but the fact that they were all outside having a blast without her was actually pissing her off. She sighed as she got up and closed the curtains, it just wasn't worth it to sit there and watch her friends frolic on the beach together. She walked over to the recliner in the corner of the room and sat there with her arms crossed in front of her. She wasn't sure how long she was sitting there but she did end up hearing everyone come laughing into the house.

She heard the footsteps on the stairs and she stayed where she was and didn't look up when the bedroom door opened and Slater came laughing into the room.

"Hey mama, what are you doing up and out of bed?" He asked her with a smile. He took one look at her face and knew she was angry. "What are you pissed about now?" he asked her with a sigh.

Jesse refused to answer him. She decided that she wasn't going to talk to any of them. If they wanted to pretend that she wasn't there with them and go out and ignore her then she would show them what that felt like, she was going to ignore them. She got up from the recliner and walked into the bathroom without looking at Slater, or talking to him. She heard him sigh and follow her into the bathroom where she washed her face and started to brush her teeth.

"Hey we are going to start dinner, there is no reason to brush your teeth now." Slater said confused.

Jesse continued to ignore him and when she was finished with what she was doing she walked out of the bathroom and crawled into bed. She turned the light that was on her nightstand off and then cuddled under the covers with her back to Slater's side of the bed and her eyes closed, never once acknowledging that she heard him or saw him. She wanted them to know how she was feeling and had been feeling since they had arrived at the house they were staying in last week. For an entire week she had been alone while they went shopping, or out to the beach or even to a movie. They always left her alone and rarely talked to her when she really needed someone to pay attention to her.

* * *

Slater walked downstairs with a frown on his face. He walked into the living room and saw everyone laughing as they got the board game out that they must have decided was tonight's game. They had decided they would try and play a game every night, just to unwind and relax. He collapsed into the chair and tried to figure out what was going on with his wife. She seemed like she was all right, her injuries didn't seem to be bothering her as much, although she was refusing to take her pain medication and she hardly touched the antibiotics he knew she was supposed to be taking.

"Hey Slater, what's the matter?" Screech asked, he was the first one to notice that Slater was silent and not participating in the conversation.

"Something is wrong with Jesse." Slater said evenly.

"She is recovering from being attacked more than once. She just got out of the hospital a week ago and she has to deal with the fact that some freak was obsessed with her." Lisa said shrugging her shoulders.

"No, that's not what I mean. I think she is mad at me for some reason." Slater said shaking his head. "She isn't taking her medication, she just ignored me completely and wouldn't look at me, and she went to bed without eating anything. She hasn't really been eating anything at all lately." He said as he thought about the food he had been bringing up to her that she barely touched if she touched it at all.

"Yeah I noticed that she hasn't been eating to. When you guys all left and I stayed behind to relax and watch my favorite show down here, I brought her some food and something to drink and she wouldn't touch the food but she did drink the bottle of water I brought her." Kelly said with a frown of her own.

"Damn, something is wrong that's for sure. It's not like Jesse not to eat and she would certainly talk to you Slater, she loves you." Lisa said with a frown of her own.

"Okay, so there is something wrong with our good friend who just got out of the hospital. Do you think she is just dealing with everything that is going on and she just doesn't want to tell us anything?" Zack asked them.

"No I don't think that's the problem, there is something else going on and it's probably something obvious that we are missing." Slater said with a sigh. He knew there was something that he was missing and that was what was bothering him at the moment.

* * *

Jesse felt the tears falling from her eyes as she laid in bed by herself. She really just wanted to leave this place and leave her so called friends behind. Even when they were home they ignored her and left her in the room. They never asked her if she wanted to play the games with them downstairs and they never included her when they had movie nights and rented movies to watch downstairs. She always heard them laughing and having a blast and no one thought to ask her to come down there with them. The one time she had attempted to go by herself and join them, Slater had caught her out of the room and picked her up and carried her back in and told her she needed to stay in there. She was hurt and she didn't think that her friends or even her husband understood that what they were doing to her, were hurting her. She loved her husband and she loved her friends, but right now, being with them in this house was the last place she wanted to be.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Two more days passed and it was apparent that nothing had changed. Jesse hadn't said a word to anyone. They all stayed in the house now and took turns trying to get her to talk to them or even to tell them what the problem was. She refused to even acknowledge their presence, the way they had refused to acknowledge hers for so long.

"Okay this is getting old mama." Slater growled slamming their bedroom door and locking it. "We aren't leaving this room until you look at me and start talking to me."

Jesse had, had it. He had no right to be angry, she had only ignored them for two days, they had ignored her for a lot longer than that, and they had been having fun when doing it. She had only been sitting in her room, miserable. "Who the hell do you all think you are? I want to leave, alone." She spat out angrily.

"Oh, so that's where we are now? Why? We did nothing for you to be pissed at us for." Slater said glad that he had at least gotten her to talk to him.

"Oh you keep thinking that. By the way did you enjoy your entire week last week? Did you enjoy everything including all the things you did downstairs?" Jesse asked giving him his only hint, apparently it was enough.

"Shit. Mama, I didn't realize…" Slater said as he finally realized what she was upset about.

"Really? I find that hard to believe. Ignoring me, not talking to me, treating me like a burden and an obligation instead of someone you cared about. Do you know that you barely said one word to me last week until I stopped talking to all of you? The one time I decided to invite myself downstairs you wouldn't let me, you made me go back in this hellhole, making me stare at these four walls all by myself again." Jesse said crying now. "All of you are to blame but you are my husband Slater, my husband. You certainly did not act like I was your wife last week. Now I want to leave and I want to leave alone." She said crying really hard at this point.

"No mama, I can't let you leave here. You have to give us a chance to fix this." Slater said as he walked over and yanked her towards him.

Jesse clenched her fists at her side, refusing to hug him back as he wrapped his arms around her. She didn't want to let him know how much she had missed this one simple thing. He hadn't even wrapped his arms around her, not in a long time. He hadn't kissed her since before she was released from the hospital.

Slater walked downstairs and stared at everyone and shook his head. "We are all real pricks." He said simply.

"What did we do?" Lisa asked confused.

"Not once last week while we were out having fun, did we think to include her. When we were having our game nights or our movie nights down here and having a blast hanging out together, we didn't bother to see if she wanted to come down and hang out. She might not have been able to go out with us, but she could hang out with us down here. We also all went out together, left here alone and nobody bothered to go upstairs and talk to her. We ignored her last week, she was giving us a taste of our own medicine. She wants to leave, she wants to leave us here and she wants to leave here alone." Slater said rubbing the back of his neck. "I messed up the worst, I didn't even treat her like my wife."

"Okay, so we know what the problem is, how do we fix it?" Kelly asked angry with herself.

"We can't." Lisa said softly. "Her feelings are hurt. We can only apologize and offer to change how we do things, the rest is up to her to forgive and she is going to need time to do that. It might be best to allow her some time away from us so she can work through it."

"No way!" Slater said shaking his head.

"Slater, think about it. Making her sit up there, hating us so badly, it's not healthy for her." Lisa said softly.

"I hate to agree with her on this one, but letting her go off on her own for a while might make everything better." Zack said speaking up.

"I am with Slater. She is my best friend and I don't think she is ready to be on her own." Kelly said shaking her head.

"Well technically we have been leaving her on her own this whole time anyway." Screech pointed out.

"No, no you are not going to agree with them on this one." Kelly said to Screech but knew it was useless because Screech usually agreed with Lisa and Zack constantly.

* * *

Jesse was staring out the window when the door opened and Kelly walked in. She didn't want to upset a pregnant woman anymore than she already had so she figured she might as well cut Kelly a break.

"Jesse, I am so sorry I was such a bad friend, if you even consider me your friend anymore." Kelly said with tears in her eyes.

"Of course, you are always going to be my friend Kelly." Jesse told her with a sigh. "I just wondered if I was even a thought in anyones mind, if I was even your friend anymore."

"You are my best friend, you are going to be my child's godmother. Jesse you are the one person in this world I couldn't stand to be without during every scary thing that is going to happen to me with this whole new experience I am about to go through. So I am going to ask you this. If you need to get away from this, from everyone, will you please let me come with you? Please let me be there for you Jesse, please don't let me worry everyday about you?" Kelly said with tears in her eyes. "I don't want you to go but if you really feel like you need to, please take me with you."


	40. Chapter 40

Authors Note: Sorry it is taking me so long to update but we are in the middle of moving, which sucks and my health has taken a turn for the worse and so I am trying my hardest to update as I can. I am going to try and update more often, but we are officially moving next week now that we found a house so I can't promise it will be within the next couple of weeks, however the writers block I had seems to be lifting a bit so I might update a lot faster...

Please please please, review! It's the reviews that keep me going with the story. I am thinking of ending this one soon, but if I do then if you want more I might write a sequel. As always thanks a bunch to the loyal readers and to all you new readers who just started reading the story, hope you like it and all I ask is that you enjoy the story and ask any questions you might have.

Thx fans! Krissy.

* * *

Chapter 40

Jesse sighed a couple days after leaving the house she had been staying in with her friends. She could tell that her best friend was worried about her, but Jesse had only relented because she didn't want to be the reason that Kelly miscarried or had any problems because of the fear and worry she would be feeling with no communication or any type of news on what was going on with her and whether or not she was all right or still pissed off. Although she had agreed that Kelly would go with her, it didn't mean that Jessie had forgiven her friend or that she talked to her, she was still ignoring her as they stayed in the same rental house together.

Jessie sighed as she walked into her room and looked around. Something wasn't right and she could feel it. There was something off and she didn't think she could figure out what it was or if there was someone in her bedroom and for the first time in a while, for the first time since her friends started treating her so badly, Jessie wanted her husband and she wanted him badly.

"Jessie?" Kelly asked knocking on the door.

"Get out of here Kelly, call Slater." Jessie snapped to her friend and she could hear her friend suck in a deep breath.

"What's the matter Jessie?" Kelly asked her, knocking harder on the door. "Are you all right? Did you hurt yourself? Are you having bad nightmares again? Are you in trouble?" Kelly started to blab out, ranting as she fired off the questions without giving Jessie a chance to answer.

"I don't know what's wrong, but something is very wrong, and I need Slater." Jessie finally admitted.

"Okay, I am calling him." Kelly relented and Jessie heard her walking away from the door and that's when she saw what was wrong. There was something out of place and she could already tell thee would be another message. Ever since she had left her friends it seemed like some friends of her abusive ex boyfriend were determined to make her pay and suffer. She had not told Kelly about the papers nor had she informed anyone else. She kept them close at hand, she kept them safe but she was sure this one was going to be worse than the others, she knew it because she could see the torn apart stuffed animals that were lying in a heap under her desk, she could see the shredded clothes that were in a heap next to the animals. She was sure the warning would be that she would be the next thing shredded, it was the only thing she could think of as she slowly made her way towards the mess and the warning.

* * *

Slater was furious, no he was way beyond furious as he felt the anger rising inside of her him. He had been scared out of his mind when Kelly had called and told him to get down there, that something was wrong. He had heard her scream when she heard a loud thud and she had rushed upstairs, Slater had Kelly on speakerphone and they had all been listening as Kelly had managed to get into Jessie's room and inform them that she had fainted and that there was more trouble. When Slater had arrived his wife was pale, shaking and scared out of her mind. Now he had found out the warnings had been coming since the day she had left them at the house they had all been staying in together.

"I don't know what else I can do to make you understand that you are my world! You should have called me and the police the minute you received any threat at any time. I love you and all of your friends love you! Do you know what Kelly, who is pregnant and needs to be stress free, was going through when she found you out cold on your floor like that?" Slater yelled, barely restraining the rage that was rising, the rage that was directed towards the sick man who was making his wife's life miserable, again.

"it has to be one of his friends or some family I didn't know about." Jessie said softly. "I know that it scared you and Kelly and all of the others, but this has to be my fight or I will never be strong enough to face life again."

"Baby, this is our fight together. We are a team, husband and wife, and that means that we are going to be fighting whatever is going on here, together." Slater said, calming his voice down as he walked over and knelt in front of his wife. He could see her shaking and he could see how pale she was.

"I am sorry I left but you all made me so mad, you all hurt me so badly." Jessie said. A part of her wanted to just slap her husband and continue to ignore all of her friends, continue to teach them all a lesson about how they should treat their friends, but she couldn't do that. She had seen the terror on their faces as they figured she was once again the target of a madman, even worse, Jessie wasn't sure whether her friends could survive another madman on her tail.

"Whatever it is you're thinking about, stop it." Slater said, almost like he knew that Jessie was full of guilt and that she was thinking of running again, trying to keep her friends safe and healthy, especially her pregnant friend who needed to be kept safer than Jessie.

"Kelly should not be a part of any of this, not pregnant." Jessie said, pretending it was only Kelly she wanted to be kept away from her during this whole thing. She figured as they planned to find a way to get rid of Kelly and get her to safety, she could find a way to slip away from her friends. It wasn't right that they be dragged into the mess she had made of her life, it wasn't right that they were in the crosshairs of another crazy person, and Jessie didn't think she could survive it if it was her fault if one of her friends was injured or killed, especially if that person was the only man she would ever love, her husband.


	41. Chapter 41

authors Note: haha... another chapter in only a couple days... see... I am trying. Hope you enjoy and folks remember, read and review and be nice, and you just might get another update :). Thx for the Private Messages and well wishes for my health, I am hoping that I am going to get better. Please read and review and enjoy, that's the most important thing.

Thx Fans!

Krissy

* * *

Chapter 41

Jessie was pouting as she looked at the handcuff that had her trapped in the bedroom. She glanced over at Slater who was fast asleep in the bed next to her, and she knew he was so worried about her that he had actually informed her that she had to wake him up if she wanted to get out of the bed. Slater had been keeping her handcuffed to the bed at night, sleeping right next to him since the warnings and everything. Jessie had attempted to sneak away a couple of times but she had been caught both times by Slater, who had glared at her and then taken the drastic measures she was now suffering through.

Jessie sighed as she glanced over at the door, unable to sleep and wishing she had found a way to sneak a key or something to pick the lock on the handcuff, but Slater always managed to find her tool and took it away before they went to sleep, she felt like a prisoner in the house. She had even said she would promise not to leave, promise not to sneak off and not to go anywhere without Slater or anyone else, but her husband decided that he didn't want to take any chances and so he refused to leave her free of the cuffs at night.

The next morning Jessie was not feeling well, and she really needed to get to the bathroom. She reached over and shook Slater hard. When he was not budging she was getting frantic.

"Slater!" She nearly screamed in his ear.

Finally he came awake and sat up quickly. "What? What's the matter?"

"I need to go to the bathroom, I feel sick." Jessie said as she yanked on the cuffs frantically.

* * *

Slater jumped out of the bed and walked over to where he kept the keys and he walked over and unlocked the cuffs. He watched as Jessie jumped up and rushed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. He frowned and walked over, and he felt concern rising inside him as he heard her throwing up. He looked over as the others walked into the room, apparently they had heard Jessie yelling his name to wake him up.

"What's going on?" Lisa asked sleepily.

"Jessie is sick." Slater said as he glanced back at the door. "She was trying to wake me up because she needed to throw up."

Kelly and Lisa shared a look and left the room, coming back a minute later with something in a bag. They knocked on the door, telling Jessie it was them and when she let them inside, the guys all shared a look.

* * *

Jessie knew her friends were worried about her, she could tell by the look on their faces.

"I am sure it's just something I ate, no big deal." Jessie said shrugging her shoulders.

"Jessie, you and Slater have been married for a while now." Lisa said, as if she was hinting at something.

"Yeah, so?" Jessie asked, confused.

"Do you think you could be pregnant?" Kelly asked excited. "Just think, wouldn't it be cool if you were pregnant now, at the same time as I am? Our babies would be born around the same time and be best friends." Kelly said, giddy and practically jumping up and down in excitement.

Jessie felt all the color draining out of her face. With the new threat on her life, and the danger surrounding her, if she was pregnant it would change the entire ball game. "No, no this can't be happening now." She whispered as she sat down on the edge of the tub, staring at her friends.

"Jessie, this could be a blessing in disguise." Lisa said as she walked over and knelt in front of her friend.

"How do you figure? So that I can be sick and not concentrating on keeping these freaks away from me? So that I can put another innocent life in danger?" Jessie asked, panic rising inside of her and she was afraid she was about to have a panic attack.

"Jessie, we have a test you can take. We could be wrong, you might just be getting the flu or have food poisoning." Kelly spoke up, seeing the huge panic on her friends face.

"I don't know what to do or how to feel right now." Jessie said, her emotions seemed to be running rampant.

"Do you want me to get Slater in here? Do you want me to tell him what's going on or would you rather take the test and wait to see what the results say and then we can take it from there?" Lisa asked her.

"Let me take the test and then we can go out there while we are waiting for it and talk to him." Jessie said, knowing it would be best to take it and tell him what they were doing while they waited the allotted time for the results to come through.

Jessie took the home pregnancy test that Lisa and Kelly had brought in to her and as she set it on the counter, the three of them walked out into the bedroom to see the three guys standing around with worried looks on their faces.

"Everything okay?" Slater asked as he held out his arms to Jessie who was looking so pale that he was scared for her.

"We think she might be pregnant Slater. We just had her take a test and now we need to wait thirty minutes for the results." Lisa explained, seeing that Jessie was still unstable.

"Why are you so pale and why do you look so scared?" Slater asked, knowing that if Jessie was pregnant it would be one of the happiest days of their lives, knowing there was a baby on the way.

"Now wouldn't be the best time for us to bring a kid into the world Slater, or have you forgotten someone wants to kill me?" Jessie asked sarcastically.

"So what? We aren't going to stop our lives because of these freaks. We area family, and we have always wanted to have kids together Jessie, remember when you started naming our kids when we were in high school?" Slater reminded her softly.

"I remember, and believe me I want to be a mother more than anything, just like I wanted to be your wife more than anything but I am terrified that if I am pregnant, they are going to kill the baby and I wouldn't ever survive something like that, just like I wouldn't survive if something happened to you all." Jessie said, voicing her fears aloud.

"Jessie, we are adults and we make our own decisions, and none of us could handle it if something happened to you and we didn't attempt to keep you safe or be there for you. We are a team, a family, all of us together. Besides, with Kelly being pregnant, you know that all of us are going to be on full alert and we are going to help keep everyone safe, if you are pregnant, then we will just have another thing to celebrate." Zack spoke up. "Kelly was saying how much she hoped you and Slater would hurry up and work on your first baby as well, so our baby will have someone to play with, and so this would be a huge blessing."

"You don't know how much this would mean to all of us, especially me mama." Slater said with a huge grin. "I already call you mama, might as well add a kid into the family to make it official." He teased her, wanting a smile on her face and some color, rather than having her stay pale.

"Well, there might not be a baby in there anyway." Jessie said, but as she said it she felt a pang of disappointment rush through her and that's when she realized she really did want to be a mom and despite everything going on, this might not be such a bad thing, now she just needed to know.

"Well if there isn't one in there, then I say we work harder on that. I mean Kelly and Zack are right, their child is going to need a playmate." Slater said with a sly grin on his face.

Suddenly the timer on the watch that Lisa had been using started beeping. Jessie got up slowly and when everyone started to follow her into the bathroom, she shook her head. "Let me do this alone and I will tell you what it says." Jessie said, wanting to be the one to announce it instead of having one of her friends blab it like they blabbed what was going on instead of letting Jessie tell Slater she might be pregnant.

Jessie looked at the directions and then looked at the box. She triple checked the results before slowly walking out of the bathroom.

"Well?" Everyone asked her.

Jessie kept quiet, wanting to keep them in suspense and knowing they couldn't check the results because she had the test in her own hand. "Well…."


	42. Chapter 42

Authors Note: Hey everyone, thanx for all the reviews and the loyalty for reading the new chapters! I am sorry it took so long to get this one posted but we just moved and I didn't have internet access for a while and we have been cleaning and getting settled in, then I had a family emergency, my GG ( great grandmother), was airlifted to an ICU with severe pneumonia and dehydration. then while she was in there she had a bunch of mini strokes, they put her on a ventilator and so forth... now when she is released they are putting her in a nursing home temporary to get rehabed and everythibng, she is 98 yrs old and means the world to me... ugh...

* * *

Chapter 42

Jessie could see they were all practically giddy, nearly jumping out of their own skin. This wasn't the way she envisioned taking their first pregnancy test as a married couple. She sucked in a deep breath and she finally realized what was going on as it finally hit her. She watched as Kelly and Zack both touched Kelly's growing abdomen and she realized how badly she wanted that. Back when she was in high school and had first found out about the baby, she had been scared and overwhelmed, and then she had been happy and overjoyed.

"I'm pregnant." Jessie confirmed and the squeals and shouts of congratulations that came out made her realize that it was actually a good thing.

"Are you okay with this mama?" Slater asked her, wrapping his arms around her waist and placing his hands on her flat stomach and rubbed it lightly.

"I am not sure. I think it worries me more than ever right now, I mean think about it, we have another psycho on my ass again and this time, I have no idea what they look like or who they are." Jessie said, finally voicing her fears out loud.

"Mama, I promise you that everything is going to be all right." Slater said as he kissed the side of her neck. "We are all going to stick together and we are all going to watch out for each other. Just think, now you and Kelly get to be spoiled and boss everyone around because you aren't going to be allowed to overdue it or lift anything heavy or even paint anything. We don't even want you two near chemicals that have to do with cleaning." Slater said and everyone else nodded their heads.

Jessie and Kelly shared a look between the two of them. As much as it sounded nice that they wouldn't have to do much, it was also sounding like they would be caged and treated like toddlers. They weren't liking the sound of the rules it seemed everyone else in the house had decided were best for the two pregnant women. Jessie was beginning to think she should have hid the test and lied, pretended she wasn't pregnant so she could have a little bit more freedom then she was going to have now. She had a feeling that her and Kelly were going to be watched like Hawks.

"You had better not hover, any of you." Jessie stated as she sent a glare in the direction of her husband and her friends.

"Ah come on Jessie, when do you ever get to boss people around and get away with it? This is the time to allow us to pamper you and Kelly." Lisa pointed out with a grin on her face.

"Not liking this so much." Kelly said shaking her own head. Both her and Jessie were very independent and the thought that they were going to have to constantly have someone do things for them or be around them looking over their shoulder, it was beginning to make them both feel claustrophobic.

2 weeks later…

Jessie was not liking being pregnant, and she was hating even more that she was dragging another life into the mess she had made of her own life. Jessie was sitting up in bed, after having not slept all night Slater had ordered her to at least attempt to try to get some rest. Now she was sitting there and all she could think of was the mistake she had made as a teenager. Suddenly the memory of the child she had carried inside of her back then, Slaters child, their first child, overwhelmed her. Jessie felt the tears and tried to blink them away. Now she was not only thinking about the man that was trying to kill her but she was thinking of the child she had failed as a teenager. She placed her hands on her abdomen and sighed, she had to make sure she didn't fail this baby, no matter what it took.

Jessie knew that she had to make the child she was carrying her number one priority and that meant that no matter what might happen to her or what might happen to her marriage or her friendships, she had to keep the baby safe. Jessie slowly climbed out of the bed and watched from the window as everyone left to run different errands. She would be in the house alone, mainly because everyone figured that with a baby inside of her that she would stay put, wanting them to all stick together now, but she wasn't going to, it was the only option she could think of.

* * *

Slater was sitting back and waiting. He knew she was going to run, he had known it when he had woken up that morning. All night last night she had been crying that she was sorry, that she was sorry mommy failed them. She was talking about their first baby, he knew they were, just like he knew Jessie had lied about how she had lost the baby, which was why he knew she was going to run. Slater had found out the truth, Slater knew that Jessie hadn't miscarried their first child, he knew the truth. Slater knew a lot more than even Jessie knew and that was something that he was waiting to inform her about. If she tried to run today, which he knew she would, then he would probably end up screaming it at her as he carried her back into the house and handcuffed her to the bed, again. He really didn't want to do that, but he saw no other way.

He shook his head as he watched the front door open and sure enough, there was his wife with a duffel bag heading for her car. Slater narrowed his eyes and headed straight for, coming up behind her and turning her around and lifting her into his arms before she could react. Soon he was carrying her into the house and he felt her struggling, felt her scratching at his back and trying to get him to put her down.

"Put me down!" Jessie said as she kicked her feet out and slugged him with her fist.

"Not a chance mama." Slater growled. "Looks to me like you can't be trusted alone, ever." He said shaking his head, almost like that was sad to him.

"Slater, I have to protect our baby, like I failed our other one." Jessie said softly.

"You didn't miscarry Jessie, I know that much. I actually know a lot more than you do about our first child, so as far as I am concerned you aren't doing anything but putting our child in danger by running away. We can protect each other or have you forgotten that the last time you left without us, and without telling us you had nearly gotten yourself killed?" Slater reminded her with an even angrier look and a hard and cold tone of voice.

"I don't know what to do." Jessie whispered.

"Stay baby, let me take care of you like a husband is supposed to.' Slater said softly.

"Okay." Jessie nodded her head. "When you said you knew more than I did about our first child, what did you mean?"

"Jessie I know that you gave birth and you were told at the hospital that the baby was stillborn." Slater said softly, seeing her wince in emotional heartbreak.

"Yes. It was a little boy.' Jessie said choking on her words. "He would be about four years old now."

"He is alive and I know where he is." Slater said shocking Jessie as her mouth dropped open.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Jessie was still in shock, she couldn't believe the information that Slater had just given her. How could her little boy be alive? Why would someone lie to her about her son? She looked over as he placed a call into an attorney that was apparently helping them, and when he filed an official missing persons report and an official kidnap report, it would mean that they would have a shot at getting their little boy back. It had been three days since he had said that to her, it had been three long days. She hadn't tried to leave, how could she when there was a chance that they could be getting her little boy back, her four year old son.

"What did they say?" Jessie asked him softly.

"That he has been in the foster system. They ran his DNA, and since our blood was already in the system they ran it against it. He is our son, DNA proves it mama. So a federal agent has already filed the paperwork for us to get him, they will be flying with him here. He is also being shown pictures of us and they are explaining everything to him, so he knows we didn't know where he was, hopefully he won't hate us." Slater said softly.

"I hope so to." Jessie said as she rubbed her belly. She couldn't believe all of this was happening, that something good was actually going to happen to her and Slater, that they were going to get their son back.

"We are going to be parents to a four year old and then a newborn." Slater said with a smile. "WE are going from no kids to two kids." He grinned even more. He couldn't believe that he was going to have a son soon.

* * *

Kelly and Zack were sitting with Screech and Lisa and they were all planning a special party for the little boy that was coming into their family. They had found out that he didn't have a name and so Jessie and Slater were allowed to actually fill out a birth certificate and name him. They had been so excited and so they had named him Lucas Andrew Slater. Jessie was decorating a room that they had all started helping fill with toys and things for little Lucas. They were hoping they had bought all things that he would be interested in. They had bought some clothes that they hoped would fit him, and then they planned to take him shopping and let him help pick out clothes.

"I can't believe this is happening so quickly." Lisa said in complete awe of the situation. They would be adding a four year old to their group in a matter of a few days.

"I can't believe something good is finally happening for Jessie. She needed this, she needed to know that her son was alive because she felt like she had failed her child all those years ago." Kelly said with a smile on her face.

* * *

Jessie was nervous as she stood with Slater at the airport and waited for the plane to empty out. They were really nervous, even though they had talked to their son on the phone and informed him what his name was, and he had seemed excited and stated he was really happy to finally get a name and to get to see his mommy and daddy. He had thought they didn't want him, so even though he was only four years old, he was real happy to learn that his parents didn't leave him, that he had been taken away from his mommy.

"I was so glad to see he looks like you." Jessie said to her husband nervously.

"I know, that picture was amazing. He has your eyes though mama." Slater told her, kissing her temple with a smile on his face.

* * *

He was not happy as he got off the phone with his friend in prison. He had informed him that Jessie had managed to get her son back, that she had outsmarted them and that her husband had found the child they had thought they had managed to take away from her for good. They had been setting up their plan to ruin Jessica Spannow for a long time, long before she even started dating his friend, well his family in a way. Now she was getting that child back and that made him so angry, just like he knew how angry his family was getting over the news. He would just have to really step his game up, maybe this could be a good thing, because now he could get to Jessie through her son, this might turn out to be Jessica Spannow-Slater's downfall after all.

* * *

Jessie and Slater were still taking turns hugging their son as the federal agent that had escorted him handed him off. They grabbed the small bag that held everything the small four year old owned and then they headed towards the SUV that waited. They had the proper car seat in there for a child, knowing what the laws were with kids, even kids this age. Once he was safely buckled in, they drove home, knowing there was a special party just for Lucas. They were hoping this wouldn't be too overwhelming for the young child who was just meeting everyone for the first time. However, Lucas didn't seem to be shy at all, he was bouncing off the walls, practically giddy really.

"Everything okay baby?" Jessie asked, as she glanced back at Lucas.

"Yes. What do I call you?' Lucas asked them innocently.

"Well, what would you feel comfortable calling us?" Slater asked cautiously. They didn't want to push him into calling them mommy and daddy until he was ready to.

"Well you are my mom and dad right?" Lucas asked them both shyly.

"Yes." Jessie said nodding her head.

"Could I call you mommy and daddy?' Lucas asked them, clearly nervous and thinking they may not want that.

"You sure can." Slater spoke up, a huge smile on his face. "You know you are also getting a little brother or sister soon as well."

"Really?" Lucas asked excited. He had just gone from no family to three members of a family in a matter of days.

* * *

He was waiting in the living room, staring at all the people gathered to welcome little Lucas Andrew into the group. He was smirking on the inside, knowing that no one in the room knew it was him that was a huge threat to Jessie and everything she held near and dear to her. He was looking at all her friends, even seeing the way Zack was rubbing his wife's belly and the affection on his face. No one in the room knew they had invited the enemy into their camp, and now the enemy had the house layout as well as the information on the home security. He knew now what he would be up against if he ever decided to get inside this house, and he now knew the weaknesses and the strengths of the home. He was thinking of a new plan, and soon her would take care of Jessie, the way his family had failed to do in the past. He was still trying to decide if that meant taking away everything she held close or taking her life, after all she had betrayed them, she couldn't get away with it. Jessie had to be punished.

* * *

Authors Note: Okay, I need everyone to give me their input. What would you like kelly to have, a boy or a girl? And I would like everyone to give me at least a boy and girl name for Kelly's baby so I can see what everyone thinks.

Also, i need you to do the same for the baby Jessie is carrying. Would you like it to be a boy or a girl? I need a name of each from you folks, this will help me out, just to give me ideas. Thanks for reading and reviewing folks!


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Jessie knew she was so blessed. They had been in hiding since bringing Lucas home for the past three months. Jessie knew that Slater was so excited every time he looked at her because he could see that she was carrying his child, their second child. It had angered them to learn that their son had gone four years in a system that did not care about him, that he had felt unloved. He had no name and whenever someone wanted to talk to him they usually called him 'stupid boy', 'burden', or many other more degrading things. Jessie couldn't believe her little boy was alive, she had a son with Slater, a son she been mourning thinking she had failed him and now he was back in their lives. But she had felt it that night, the night they had brought him home three months ago.

There had been someone there that was evil, it had made her cling to her son and make sure he was never out of her sight, but she had been having the horrible feeling more and more, it was getting worse. Jessie knew it wouldn't be long, it wouldn't be long before someone made a move and she was beginning to fear that move would be soon. She looked up as Kelly waddled into the room, since she was further along than Jessie it was kind of cute to see.

"Hey." Jessie said as she looked at Kelly's big swollen belly.

"Hey, how's the little one in your belly?" Kelly asked her with a grin.

"Active." Jessie said as a wince crossed her face as the baby kicked like mad again.

"Yeah well, the kicking in my belly is driving me mad." Kelly said with a roll of her eyes.

"Hey mama." Slater said walking into the room and pulling Jessie out of her chair and lightly rubbed her belly. "Hey baby, it's your daddy." Slater said, talking to her swollen belly.

"Mommy?" Lucas walked into the room rubbing his eyes. He had been taking a nap in his room and she could tell he had most likely had a very bad dream, and that worried her.

"Another nightmare baby?" Jessie asked as she motioned for her son to come to her. They were all trying to adjust, it was so different having a four year old around when they had not ever had a baby around them and they hadn't learned how to care for a child by making the mistakes and learning what that child loved, and what they hated, as they grew up. Jessie was worried that Lucas would grow up and look back and hate his mother and father for not being there, for not knowing that they had been lied to, well hate her really since Slater didn't know about the pregnancy or anything about what had happened that day Lucas had been born.

"Yes." Lucas whispered softly. "I keep seeing the bad man, he told me he was going to make sure that I didn't get to live here forever, and that I shouldn't feel safe here, cause I'm not."

Jessie could tell Slater had rage rushing through him, because she felt the same way. She had felt the evil there that night, and she had thought she had done a good job at keeping it away from him, however she didn't know who it was, so apparently she had been wrong and kept the wrong people away from her son.

"Oh god, my first night being his mother and I failed…" Jessie collapsed into the chair and started to rock, she rubbed her belly and wondered how she could bring another child into the world when she had already failed the one that was already in it.

"Mommy! It's okay mommy." Lucas said, scared that if his mother was way too upset she might send him back, he still didn't know how to trust.

"Lucas, look at me." Slater said softly, sensing the battle within his young son.

"Yes daddy?" Lucas asked softly, weary that he was about to be told to pack again.

"You are staying with your mommy and I forever, you aren't going anywhere. I know it's hared for you to believe right now, but I am not letting you go again and neither is your mother. You are about to be a big brother in a matter of months, we need you around. We love you so much Lucas, you have to know that." Slater told their son, and seeing the relief in his eyes knew he had hit the nail on the head, his son was terrified to be sent away.

* * *

He was pacing back and forth. For three months after he had seen the young son brought in, the entire crew had hidden low. They had stated they would welcome no company and they didn't go out, the men went out occasionally to get what they needed at stores and pay some bills or something but that was it. He was angry that he had not been able to get close enough to take care of this, he needed to start his new plan. Now that the child was here, that he was in that house with Jessie and the others, he had to find a way to make the ultimate revenge get pulled off. He had been in contact with the man behind everything, and he knew that everything was about to explode. Suddenly he snapped, he threw his pocket knife, letting it land on Jessie's face and he let the evil grin slowly break across his face. He was through with hiding, it was time to strike, it was time to do something.

* * *

Jessie was sitting alone on the back porch. She knew that the men were all attempting to make Lucas feel better, and Kelly was trying to learn what the secret looks between Screech and Lisa were about. Jessie figured that since the six of them had been confined together in this house, alone, for so long, it allowed Lisa to finally take a good hard long look at Screech and maybe she was finally seeing how devoting and amazing he would be to her. Jessie could see the bush shaking out of the corner of her eyes and she figured another animal was close by, then she noticed a couple others had shaken. She was slowly getting to her feet, her hand resting on her belly. She knew what this meant, she knew what was about to happen and she was pretty sure that there was nothing she could do to stop it or to save her son. Everything was coming to head right then and there. It was time to see what was going to have to be done to end this.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

A few months later…

Jessie was smiling as she looked at Kelly holding onto her new baby boy. Kelly and Zack had been thrilled to have their little boy be born, and Jessie could see that Lucas was excited to have a new baby cousin, who was a boy, around. Jessie knew it would only be a couple months before she gave birth to her baby, and she knew Slater really wanted them to find out what they were having. Jessie had seen the look of awe and surprise on the faces of Kelly and Zack when they learned it was a boy and as much as she thought it would be great to learn when she gave birth, another part of her thought it would be great just to have the doctor tell them what they are having so they can get the nursery and stuff all put together. It would also allow her to see what she would need clothing wise. Sighing Jessie could tell that Zack was over the moon that he had a son now, he had been thrilled to see Slater with Lucas and Slater was excited to have a son and a new baby on the way.

"So, have you decided on his name yet?" Jessie asked. Kelly and Zack had recently moved into their own house, stating that it was time that they all be their own families, and be the normal friends that they are supposed to be. Lisa and Screech had their own apartments, which left Jessie, Slater, Lucas and their soon to be born child alone in their own house. As much as Jessie enjoyed being a normal family, she was also terrified that something would happen, they still didn't know who was targeting them, and since they were finally coming out of hiding, this person could attack anytime now.

"No, we are still fighting about it." Kelly said shaking her head. "Sometimes I wonder who Zack thinks he married, the names he likes are just, yuck." Kelly said making a face and then shaking her head with a sigh and then a laugh.

Jessie laughed as she leaned back against the back of the couch at Kelly and Zack's house. She could tell that Kelly was trying really hard to make sure that everything looked perfect, she had even baby proofed the house already, which Jessie thought was funny, even though Jessie had put locks on things and special covers over the outlets, mainly to keep Lucas safe. "Well, men, they think they know what's best but most of them have no idea what they are talking about." Jessie said shaking her head with a giggle of her own. "You should see the list of names Slater has for our new baby. Lucas adds his favorites to them all the time as well. I am outnumbered in that house right now." Jessie said as she rubbed her belly.

"So you want a little girl?" Kelly asked her softly.

"Part of me wants a little girl, to even things out, and then another part of me wants Lucas to have a baby brother, something I know he really wants." Jessie said as she bit her bottom lip and tried to think about it.

"Well I think we need a little girl around all of us, it would certainly make things so much easier." Kelly said with a smile on her face.

"Yes I know what you mean." Jessie said nodding and rubbing her distended abdomen.

* * *

He was throwing knives at the family picture on the wall. It hadn't taken him long to find the Slater's new address. They thought they were so cool, but he found the new house and he had gotten in there very quickly and he stole the pictures that he could get his hands on. He had left Lucas something, something he knew would warn the young child that he better be ready for him to come around, because he was going to make their lives miserable. He knew that Lucas was too scared to tell his parents about the message left in his room, and he knew that Lucas was afraid if he spoke up and caused any trouble that he would be sent back into the system and never see his mommy and daddy or his new baby brother or sister again.

"Soon I will be showing all of you that you should have just stayed apart and that Jessie should have stayed with that 'boyfriend' of hers. If she hadn't caused trouble, if she had just taken her beatings like a good little girl, then there wouldn't be any problems for any of those people." He said as he threw a knife straight into the picture of Jessie. He was not a happy person, well he was never a happy person, but they had made things worse for themselves and they would have to learn a very hard lesson which could cost them their little precious son.

* * *

Zack was watching Slater cut up Lucas's food and smiling. They were having a guys day out, something Kelly thought would be good for him after they had been stuck inside with the birth of their baby boy. Zack could tell that Slater loved his son, more than anything in the world. Zack looked over and could see that Screech was looking a little down, and he guessed it was because he was the only one who wasn't married or a father. Zack knew that Screech was in love with Lisa and trying to find a way to get her to see that they could be great together, but it was hard to convince someone of something like that.

"Slater, what do you want, another boy or a little girl?" Zack asked Slater, trying to break the tense silence.

"I would love either one. We have been blessed with getting our son back, so if he gets a little brother it would be nice and if he gets a little sister it would be nice as well." Slater said shrugging his shoulders, "Jessie and I would love either one."

* * *

He was watching them from where he was sitting, he had camera's in all their homes and he was learning everything he needed to get even. It wouldn't be long before he made their lives a living nightmare and he had every intention of doing just that!

"Soon, you will all know who you are messing with and you will learn you made the biggest mistake of your miserable little worthless lives!" He snarled as he watching the different monitors that were recording anything he might want to replay later. They had no idea that they were telling him everything he needed to know and everything he would need to use against them real soon.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Jessie winced again as she felt the contraction rip through her body. She was home alone, again and now she was pretty sure she was in labor. She tried to keep herself calm, but she really felt like going off in a panic. She finally made it to the phone and tried Slater's cell phone but she realized he probably couldn't hear it where they were, at the basketball game. The loud cheering and announcements and things would make it too hard for him to hear it ring, and she knew it wouldn't have thought to put it on vibrate or attempt to check his phone every once in a while, even though at their last doctors appointment they had been informed that she would be good to give birth any day really.

"I sweat Slater! When I see you again I am going to make you…" Jessie trailed off as another painful contraction ripped through her and she saw no other option than to try one of her friends, considering the fact that Zack and Screech were with Slater and she knew that Lisa was over at Kelly's house helping her with the baby, she had only one number she could call. "Please pick up." She said as tears started to roll down her cheeks, she was really scared and if she got a hold of no one, then it would be an ambulance for her.

"Morris residence." Kelly answered the phone with a laugh.

"Kelly, I need help, please." Jessie said crying into the phone.

"What's the matter Jessie?" Kelly asked, concern filling her voice.

"I'm in labor and Slater obviously can't hear his phone and I need someone to come and take me to the hospital, my contractions are very close together and they hurt so bad, I am scared." Jessie admitted as she rubbed her belly and cried out at another contraction, knowing they were pretty close together.

"All right, I am on my way there. Lisa will head to the arena, wait what am I thinking? Zack has a pager that's on vibrate in case I need him, Lisa will use her cell phone to page him 911, since he knows she is with me and he will have to call her phone and we will tell him to grab the guys and get to the hospital." Kelly said. "Just hang on, Lisa was already getting the baby ready so we are going to get in the car the minute I hang up with you and head to get you, just sit tight Jessie." Kelly said and they hung up the phone.

* * *

30 minutes later…

Jessie was gripping her stomach and trying to rock back and forth, trying to find any position that wasn't so painful, but there was nothing she could do. She looked up as her door burst open and Lisa ran inside. She grabbed the suitcases by the door and she grabbed Jessie's purse and helped her off the couch, and taking her keys from her. After setting their alarm code, knowing Jessie and Slater kept all windows and doors locked and closed automatically, she closed the front door and locked it behind them before helping Jessie to the car. Once Jessie was settled in the front seat next to Kelly, so she wouldn't have to deal with a crying baby if Kelly's little boy woke up, they were off.

"I talked to Zack and he is going to grab everyone and they will meet us at the hospital." Lisa explained as Kelly reached over and held Jessie hand, knowing what she was going through since she had just given birth not too long ago.

"Jessie, just remember how to breathe." Kelly said softly, seeing the tears rolling down Jessie's cheek. "I know how bad this hurts, I just did it, but once we get to that hospital, which we called ahead and told them to get an anesthesiologist ready and waiting for you, you can get that nice epidural."

"Seriously?" Jessie asked, hope shining in her eyes because she really didn't want a natural labor.

"Seriously, you should have heard Kelly on the phone and just to make sure they got it, I took the phone next and made sure they had your room ready. I know you and Slater did that pre-registration thing, are those papers in one of your suitcases so you don't have to go through all of that there?" Lisa asked as she winced, remembering she should have asked before they left Jessie's house.

"Yes, they are in the bag. Once we filled them out, we placed them in when we packed the bags in the first place, they should be in the purple one." Jessie said rubbing her belly as the contraction caused the little one to start kicking.

* * *

Lisa dug through the bag and found the registration papers and read through them all, to make sure nothing was missing and that everything was all there, seeing it was filled out just fine, she put them back into the purple suitcase and put Kelly's little boy's, who finally got named after his father, so he was technically Zach Morris Jr., Lisa but little Zack's pacifier back into his mouth, seeing he was gearing up for a good cry. "I still can not believe you gave in and allowed him to be named after Zack." Lisa said shaking her head.

"I didn't want to, I didn't have a choice. If you recall he only got to choose the name, because we lost that stupid bet with the guys and that was the reward they had wanted." Kelly said with a sigh. "But at least they didn't give him the name Walter like Screech originally wanted to."

"True." Lisa agreed nodding and watching Jessie closely. "Jessie, everything is going to be just fine. We will get you into your room, get you changed and registered and then once you get your epidural you will be fine and Slater will be there in no time at all."

"I really hope you're right, I can't do this without him again." Jessie said as she rubbed her belly and tried to calm down at the sight of the hospital coming up.

When they pulled up, Lisa went inside with Jessie, carrying the suitcases and their purses, while Kelly went and parked the car. Once she had the car parked in the right place, she carried little Zack, the diaper bag and her purse inside and immediately found Jessie's room, surprised they allowed her to bring in the baby, but since Jessie's father in law was in the military, he had pretty much made a few phone calls early on and the hospital had been prepared for how they wanted things, and they were pretty much going along with it because they didn't want to make a military man angry.

"Everything is going to be just fine." Kelly reassured her, sitting on one side of the bed while Lisa was on the other. Jessie had been checked and was at 6 centimeters already, and she was about to get the epidural, but no one had heard from the guys and Kelly knew that if Slater didn't get there, then there would be huge problems for him, Jessie would never forgive him for not getting there for the babies birth, never.

* * *

He was laughing as he got ready to make sure that he alienated the guys from the girls, it wouldn't be hard if he just made sure they didn't make it to the hospital for this birth. None of the women would forgive any of the guys, and he was going to make sure that was what happened, and that Jessie didn't have the man she thought she loved there for her, not at all.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Slater was in a near panic as he kept glancing at his watch, he knew that Jessie was probably angry with him, and she had every right to be. He winced as he remembered her begging him not to go to the game that night, to allow Zack and Screech to just take their son and that he should stay with her. She had been telling him that she was sure that she was going to go into labor, she had a feeling that she was going to go into labor and he had told her that she was going to be fine and that he was just going to a basketball game and there would be no problems, and then when he got home she would see that she had worried for nothing.

"Damn, she is going to want to smack me hard. She told me earlier, she told me to allow you to take our son and for me to stay home." Slater said with a groan. Zack was driving Screech's car and Screech was driving Slater's car because it had the booster seat in there. Screech was going to make sure that he grabbed a happy meal at a fast food place, which was why he had Slater's car and son, and Zach's job was to get Slater there for the birth.

"Everything will be just fine, just take some extra diaper time and make sure to get up in the middle of the night and everything should be all right." Zach said with a reassuring smile on his face.

"I hope you're right." Slater said with a wince. "I am pretty sure getting her a really nice gift might help a little bit to."

"Something that represents your family might do it." Zach said nodding slowly. "We can deal with that later, right now we need to get you to your wife."

* * *

He was confused, and he didn't like being confused. He was following the Slater's car, he knew that was his car but he didn't think that was him driving it. He had a tracker in the vehicle and he was beginning to think he was outsmarted. He didn't think it was deliberate but there was no way he could know what car Slater was in now. He slammed his fist into the steering wheel, over and over. He should have been at the arena a lot sooner, he would have seen what car he had been in. There had been several cars leaving at that time, the only reason he found this one was because of the tracking device he had found at a spy store and attached to the undercarriage of the vehicle. He knew that he had screwed this one up, it would have been the perfect plan and now the only hope he had of carrying it off was showing up at the hospital before Slater did and managing to lead him to the wrong room or something, which will only work if he doesn't know the actual room number, which he doubted that he didn't know it. He was sure that, that nosy little single woman had been on the phone with Slater telling him every little detail that he was missing.

"You may have won this one, but I swear I will find a way to make you all regret everything and I will find the next step. This would have been the less painful approach, but now it's an all out war and everything is fair game now!" He growled as he watched a happy meal and another bag be passed into the vehicle in the drive thru and he just sighed and drove away.

* * *

Jesse was really crying now. She was scared and she was at seven centimeters and Slater wasn't there yet. She had listened as Lisa talked to him, telling him that she couldn't put Jesse on the phone. The epidural was helping, but it didn't make things any easier for what Jesse knew would be coming, and if her husband wasn't here to help her than she didn't know how she could forgive him. She had cried and begged him to not go to the basketball game. She had pleaded, something she never really did. She had known, deep down, she had known she was going to go into labor and she had wanted him there with her for every single step and he had opted to go to a stupid sports game then be at home with his very pregnant wife.

"Jesse just stay calm, all right?" Kelly said as she sat on the bed. Little Zach was asleep in his car seat next to Lisa, so Kelly was trying to help Jesse through as much of this as she could. "Slater is already beating himself up over this, you know that as well as I do. Everything is going to be okay."

"I'm scared." Jesse said softly.

"I know you are, but everything is going to be all right." Kelly said and as if it was a cue in a movie or play, the door to the room burst open and Slater and Zach rushed into the room.

"Hey mama." Slater said as he took over at the bed as Kelly got up and smiled.

"Hey, I didn't think you were going to get here." Jesse said as she clung to him, crying.

"Shh… it's all right. I'm right here and I am so sorry I didn't listen to you." Slater said as he kissed her forehead. "Thanks." Slater said as he turned and looked at their friends.

"Hey, we were going to be here anyway." Lisa teased. "Screech has your oldest?"

"Yup." Slater said nodding his head. "They were going to get some food and then come here."

"Probably a good idea. You two, work together and no fighting while you are having a baby." Kelly said as she handed the car seat over to Zack who smiled and they waved at their friends and went to the waiting room to settle in for the long haul.

"I am so sorry mama, I really am." Slater said, his eyes showing how scared he was that she was really mad at him.

"I know, I am just glad you made it because there is no way I could do this without you." Jesse said as she took a deep breath and gave him a shaky smile.

"We're having a baby." Slater said a huge smile on his face.

"We're having a baby." Jesse agreed nodding her head.


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Jesse was glad that Slater had arrived because even though it had been really nice to have her friends there helping her out, she only wanted him there with her. She tried to breathe through the next contraction, and was a little confused on why she had felt any pain since she had gotten the epidural. The nurse had told her not to worry, that sometimes people needed a little more and so Jesse was waiting for her epidural dose to be increased a bit.

"Hey mama, how are you feeling?" Slater asked softly, as he held her hand and leaned in to kiss her forehead from where he was sitting beside the bed.

"Like I am about to give birth." Jesse groaned and then sighed with relief as she saw the person increasing her epidural. After that was done and the next contraction hit she was relieved she felt nothing.

"Is that better?" Slater asked worriedly. He hated seeing Jesse in any type of pain and so when he had realized the epidural wasn't really working, he was more than ready to go off on someone.

"Much." Jesse said with a nod. "How was the game?" Jesse asked, trying to keep her mind off the fact that she was about to be in a huge amount of pain when it was time to push, unless the epidural helped numb that pain to. She really should have done more research or asked more questions but she had been trying to get used to the fact that she had a son, an older son, not a baby anymore little boy. It had been hard for her to comprehend. So now here she was in full labor, and she wasn't fully sure what was about to happen.

"Mama?" Slater asked her, using that voice that meant he wanted to know what the problem was.

"I am really scared about giving birth." Jesse admitted softly.

"It's going to be just fine." Slater said as he tried to reassure her, even as he was really nervous himself.

"The hospital knows the baby never leaves me or your sights, right? If they need to leave the room with our little one, you are going with." Jesse asked. It was a reminder that while this was supposed to be a happy occasion, there was still a cloud handing over their family.

"They are aware of everything that has been going on and what we require to protect our baby." Slater told her with a reassuring smile.

"Okay, good." Jesse said as she nervously bit her bottom lip.

"Everything will be just fine." Slater said with a grin on his face, even though it wasn't what he was feeling inside.

* * *

Zack could tell that both Kelly and Lisa were worried about something and it was starting to make him worry. He was beginning to wonder if the doctor had said something to Jesse in front of them that had them all freaked out and nervous, but it was clear if that had happened, that they weren't going to tell him.

"What's the matter?" Zack asked finally after what must have been another twenty minutes of nervous looks passed between Kelly and Lisa. Jesse was his friend to and if there was a problem he deserved to know to.

Kelly looked at her husband and back at Lisa. It was almost as if she was asking Lisa silently if she thought it would be a good idea to tell him what they were thinking about. Before Zack could say anything, it appeared they had made up their minds and they started talking.

"Jesse is really scared that this creepy guy is going to come here and try and either steal their baby straight out so they worry, kill their baby to get even or place a different persons dead baby in their childs spot so everyone believes the baby died like Jesse thought happened before with their son." Kelly informed her husband. "She's our friend and she is supposed to be super excited as she gets ready for the birth of her second child and being a mom to two kids but she can't be happy or excited because some sick freak has decided to take over where that other psycho left off."

Zack could tell that his wife and friend were really upset on Jesse's behalf and honestly so was he. How could anyone torment one person as much as this new threat enjoyed tormenting Jesse? There should be a line no one crosses and getting near the kids and dragging her kids into it should be it. Jesse should be able to know this guy won't come near her kids but she didn't know that and she believed she couldn't keep her kids safe, it had to be tearing her apart as a mother to think and know that.

"We need to make sure nothing happens to that baby, especially here." Zack said as a plan started to form in his mind, like all his plans he had been coming up with for so long.

* * *

He was sure he needed a new plan. He already knew what would hit the Slater family and even their little friends, hard. If he wanted to be really cruel he would attack the most vulnerable member of the family, the newborn baby after Jesse gave birth, but he still wasn't sure he wanted to go that far just yet. He knew their oldest son had been taken to the military base to be safe with his grandfather who had wanted Jesse to give birth at the base military hospital but Jesse and Slater both nixed that idea.

"There has to be a way to really get to Jesse without becoming the sick freak that went after a helpless newborn infant." He muttered as he started pacing.

He wondered if he could make sure she was given a medication that Jesse knew she was allergic to. He knew that as long as a team got to her in time, then she wouldn't know it was her warning from him, unless he left a letter in her room after he got close enough to inject it into her vein.

"Jesse won't be guarded because their focus will be on that baby, she will be alone in her room." He said as a new plan formed in his mind.

He started doing research as he went through all the notes and charts that he had about Jessica Spannow-Slater who had no idea what was about to happen to her. Her life, if she survived this warning, was about to change very quickly and there wasn't much she was going to be able to do about it.

"We'll see how you survive this." He said laughing.

* * *

Jesse was gripping Slaters hand as she pushed again. She was really scared that something was going to be wrong with their little one that she almost didn't want to keep pushing. Finally she gave one more big push and she heard the doctor say something softly and then there was a very loud cry and she breathed a sigh of relief and gave Slater a smile. She had watched as he cut the cord and after giving her a kiss he stepped back and they both stared at the screaming slimy infant that was lying on her belly. When the nurse took the baby to clean her up, Jesse felt relief.

"We have a little girl." Jesse said in shock.

"We do." Slater said as he watched the nurse clean their little one right in front of them. When their little girl was all nice and clean, Slater took her from the nurse and cuddled her while Jesse went through all the finishing touches of giving birth. When she was all cleaned up, Slater handed her their little princess.

"She's so beautiful." Jesse said in awe as she held her brand new daughter.

"She is." Slater agreed. He looked from his new daughter to his wife. "Just like her mama. You did an amazing job, mama."

Jesse smiled at her husband before handing him their daughter. Slater was going to take the baby for her routine tests that all brand new babies got when they were born. After Slater left and Jesse was alone, she closed her eyes in complete exhaustion. She had been in labor for a long time, but she also knew she got lucky because it could have been a lot longer and rougher. She heard the door to her room open and when she opened her eyes she saw a man in scrubs, wearing a hair net cover thing, a mask and gloves, walk in. she was really confused as he walked over and worked at the computer but it seemed like he was just pretending. She bit her bottom lip nervously, wondering if she should hit the call button or if she was just out of it because she had just given birth. She watched him place an envelope on the side table before he put the needle part of his syringe in the port of her IV, and pushed some drug into her. He leaned down and seemed to want to say something but then changed his mind. Then he capped the syringe and instead of throwing it into the bin, he took it with him.

After he left the room she hit the call button, or tried to but she realized he had taken it and moved it when he had leaned down to whisper in her ear. Suddenly she realized she couldn't breathe and she started panicking as she looked around for the button. Her throat was closing and her tongue was swelling. She was clawing at anything, hoping to get some attention, hoping for some help.

"Hey mama, she's in perfect health and we need to decide…" Slater trailed off as he saw Jesse fading and struggling to breathe. He stepped into the hallway. "Help! I need some help!" He shouted before rushing back in and standing near her. She pointed at an envelope and continued struggling. He couldn't lose her, not right after they had just had another baby, not his wife.


	49. Chapter 49

Authors Note: At the end of this chapter is a list of names I need you to vote on… You get to help name baby girl Slater… So at the end of chapter please look over the list of names and their letter and place your votes!

* * *

Chapter 49

Jesse looked over at Slater as he stared at her while holding onto their daughter. Jesse had just opened her eyes after the major scare that had nearly taken her life. Slater had made sure that the hospital had called the police, after what Jesse had told them and what the letter had stated, they were well aware this had been a murder attempt on Jesse, and they weren't taking anymore chances. Jesse was glad at least now the hospital understood why it was so important that one of them be with the baby at all times. Now that they were finally alone with their daughter again, and their friends had all gone home, scared out of their minds, Jesse could tell her husband wasn't sure what to say. She saw the guilt in his eyes, almost like he should have made their friends come into the room before he left her alone to go and watch over their precious little girl. The major blessing in all of this was that their son hadn't been there to see everything that had happened. She never would have forgiven herself if their son, who still thought every day that there was a chance he would be sent away from them, had seen her on deaths door from a major allergic reaction.

"Mama, are you sure you're feeling all right?" Slater asked her softly.

"I am much better now." Jesse nodded her head. "We still haven't named her and they need a name so we can fill out her birth certificate."

"True. I am trying to remember the names we came up with." Slater said as he cuddled their daughter close in one arm and raised his free hand to rub at his temples. He couldn't believe how close he had come to becoming a single father of a young son and a newborn daughter. Slater didn't know what he would do if he ever lost Jesse, he wasn't even sure he knew what raising a daughter meant without a female presence in the house all the time. Sure he knew that Kelly and Lisa would help out, but they weren't her mother and no one could ever take the place of a mother.

"Well what names did you like?" Jesse asked with a slight frown as she tried to think as well.

"I like the names Alexa, Kailin, McKenna and Raeanne." Slater said as he glanced down at their daughter.

"I like the names McKenna, MacKenzie, Caitlyn, Ella, and Riley." Jesse said as she looked at their daughter.

"Well we don't have to decide right now, they can fill out as much of the certificate without her name as they can. They know you just nearly lost your life, and for that they can't hold it against you." Slater said as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you baby." Jesse said as she sighed. Her head was hurting from all the medication she had been given, and she was really tired. She didn't want to fall asleep on Slater, especially since they were going to need the time alone with their new daughter, but she didn't think she could stay awake for very much longer.

"It's all right mama, you have been through a lot, get some sleep." Slater murmured softly to her.

"Are you sure?" Jesse asked biting her lower lip.

"Sleep." Slater simply said in answer to her question.

So Jesse closed her eyes and stopped trying to fight the fatigue and exhaustion that was pulling her under, she just slept.

* * *

Zack was pacing back and forth as they stood inside of Jesse and Slaters home. They had all tucked in their son and made sure that he knew they would take him to see his mom and dad soon enough, but he needed his rest right now and so did they. Once he heard he had a baby sister, he had been really excited and jumping up and down, almost as much as Screech was, but they had finally calmed him down and gotten him into bed, where Kelly and Lisa had read him a bedtime story before they all tucked him into bed. Zack looked over at his own son that was fast asleep in his car seat and he sighed, the whole thing at the hospital had been a huge mess.

"All right, so we know this guy is more than willing to just outright kill now, so what do we do?" Lisa asked softly, still shaking as she sat next to Screech who put his arm around her shoulders in comfort.

"We can't let him have any chance at getting near the kids or Jesse again. I seriously doubt he would go after Slater, but we might want to nip that in the bud as well." Zack said rubbing at the tension in the back of his neck.

"What if he comes after us?" Kelly asked worriedly, watching her infant son sleep in his car seat.

"Well, we can all go deep underground again." Zack said softly.

"Moving back onto the base won't help?" Kelly asked hopefully.

"He nearly got Jesse there to." Screech reminded her.

"Yes but now they will step things up, there are kids involved now, it's different." Kelly pointed out still desperate.

"No, we need to go somewhere he won't look." Zack said shaking his head.

"I am tired of looking over my shoulder, and now our son is involved!" Kelly said as she jumped up. "We got into this to keep her away from an abusive and psycho ex boyfriend, who is this guy now? Did she have another psycho ex we didn't know about?"

"What if it's a family member of the ex?" Lisa suggested.

"Either way, it doesn't matter, we need a plan and we need one fast." Zack said putting the discussion back into what they needed to do.

* * *

He was more than angry, he was beyond angry, he was just plain old furiously pissed off. Jesse wasn't dead and now there was no chance he was going to get to either of the targets in the hospital, the security was too tight there now. He felt like banging his head against the wall, but he couldn't afford to bring unnecessary attention to himself. He grabbed out his binder book instead and flipped through all of the pictures and plans in there, he needed a new one and he needed it fast because Jesse needed to pay for everything and she was going to pay, even if it meant killing the newborn daughter just to make things even.

* * *

End of Chapter Authors Note:

All right here if where you are going to vote… please let me know what name you think works best for the newest Slater…

McKenna Elizabeth Slater

McKinley Denise Slater

Riley Marie Slater

Ella Marie Slater

Alexa Marie Slater

RaeAnne Denise Slater

Caitlyn Rose Slater

Kailin Elizabeth Slater

Please Vote Folks!


	50. Chapter 50

Authors Note:

Please read the note at the end of the Chapter!

* * *

Chapter 50

Jesse was rubbing the back of her neck as she looked over at her son, husband and new daughter as they were all asleep together, cuddled in the middle of her bed. Jesse had been released from the hospital a few days ago and had a hard time sleeping lying down, something she didn't understand but the recliner in the living room or the glider in the nursery were easier for her to sleep in. One doctor told her it could have to do with her body's struggle to recover from her ordeal as well as labor and delivery with her body's need to get back to normal after being pregnant. She had a hard time getting up and down on her own, relying on Slater, when she was lying down, she figured her mind just wanted to keep her pride in tact and allow her to do things on her own, which was why she made sure to sleep sitting up whenever she could, wherever she could.

Jesse walked over and carefully took the newborn out of the special pillow cradle they had found for their bed when they wanted her close to them, and she was surprised to see her eyes wide open as she sucked on her pacifier and seemed to be studying her mother at that point. Jesse remembered being robbed of this with her son, she felt this ache in her chest over everything she and Slater had managed to miss with their son, so much he had been robbed of himself. She was going to make sure to do everything in her power to ensure that her son never ever thought that his little sister or any other siblings he might have, were more important than he is.

As she headed into the nursery with her new precious addition, she was wondering if her daughter would also suffer because of a madman who was so determined to kill or ruin Jesse and she had no idea why. As she looked at her vulnerable, fragile newborn daughter, she felt the pain rising inside of her chest at the thought that someone might manage to get their hands on everything she held so dear to her.

"Hey mama, I didn't hear her crying." Slater said as he yawned and walked into the nursery himself. She should have known that moving the baby would wake him, he was so sensitive to any little thing when it came to his family with the threat out there.

"She didn't, but since we have kept her on a schedule, it's about time for her to eat again." Jesse said as she gently placed her daughter on the changing table and winced at the smell, realizing her daughter needed to have her diaper changed.

"Hey, let me change her. Mama, you look exhausted." Slater said walking over to the table with a frown on his face.

"You have been doing everything, it's not fair to you. You do all the work and just let me cuddle with her or feed her. You even take care of our son all by yourself most of the time and I feel so guilty. He doesn't hate me does he? He doesn't think that with her here I am ignoring him?" Jesse asked, as she watched her husband change their daughter.

"No, he knows how much you love him and that you went through a lot that you got hurt while at the hospital and are trying to get better after having his baby sister. He loves it when you two just cuddle on the couch and watch either television or read together." Slater confessed with a smile.

"I love those moments to." Jesse admitted with a fond glance at the baby monitor.

* * *

Kelly could tell that everyone that was gathered in her home, were on the verge of going out of their mind as they tried to figure out how to protect their friends, and especially their children. Everyone in the room knew there was a chance that they could be targeted as well, but at the moment it was Jesse that was the main focus and her young son who had already been through so much. They could only pray that Jesse's daughter was left alone and not attacked or killed at all. Everyone in their tight group enjoyed having little ones as part of their new group, it was entertaining, but they also knew that the danger to their lives were increased because of their fragile state. They also were aware the children could be used as pawns to get whatever this creep wanted out of them. They would do whatever it took to make sure that never happened and that none of the children ever felt threatened or like they had to protect themselves and that no one else could keep them safe from harm.

"Anyone have any ideas at all?" Lisa asked as she took a sip of her drink. Normally they all weren't in the habit of drinking much, but everyone in the room were seriously considered getting some hard liquor into their systems, hoping it would help them at the moment.

"There has to be something we are all missing, something that would cause this person to completely back off." Kelly said as she rubbed at her temples and glanced at the baby monitor, knowing her son was fast asleep in his crib but wanting to go and check on him again because of this whole mess.

"We need to know why he is targeting Jesse in the first place. If we can figure that out, we might figure out who this guy is and what it really is that he wants." Screech pointed out.

"Well, if we knew all that we wouldn't be worried about coming up with a plan because the cops would be able to throw him in jail." Zack said as he continued his pacing, worried for all his friends, worried for his friends children, worried for his wife and worried about his infant son. There was so much that he worried about that he sometimes wondered why his mind didn't explode.

* * *

He needed a new plan, but one wasn't forming and that was unfortunate at the moment. He had to think of something and he knew it wouldn't be long. Jesse's weakness was her family, and if he used that against her, then he could manipulate her into doing everything that he wanted her to do without her arguing with him at all. He now knew where to start, and now he just needed to know where to go from there.

* * *

Authors Note:

Thanks to all who voted, but the voting isn't over, notice there was no mention of her name, mainly because there is a three way tie, so I am extending voting, please please give me some more votes. Here are the names again, and beside the ones with votes I will let you know what they have.

McKenna Elizabeth Slater

McKinley Denise Slater

Riley Marie Slater – 1 vote so far

Ella Marie Slater

Alexa Marie Slater

RaeAnne Denise Slater

Caitlyn Rose Slater

Kailin Elizabeth Slater – 1 vote so far

Also someone suggested Caitlin Marie Slater…


	51. Chapter 51

Authors Note: I didn't get the votes in that I wanted, , makes me sad really. So I just put names in a hat and randomly picked one out to see what their little girl will be named. You will see that at the end of the chapter folks.

* * *

Chapter 51

Jesse knew that her son was most likely feeling a little left out with a new baby sister in the house and all. Jesse didn't want him to think that he was less important than his sister so she was trying to find ways to show him he was extremely important and on top of that, he could do things that his sister couldn't do and as he got older he would get to do more and more things that his baby sister couldn't do. His bedtime would always be later, until they both reached an age appropriate for a late bedtime, and he would always have gotten through his different school grades before her, so he might even be able to help her with her homework and things as they got older, showing that he was a great big brother and really smart at the same time.

Jesse knew that Slater was doing everything that he could to make sure that their son felt special as well, they did a lot of father and son things together, and she could always see how excited that made their little boy feel. Jesse glanced up as she heard someone walk into the nursery where she was currently sitting in the glider with her infant daughter, and saw it was her son, Lucas. Lucas walked over to her, glad that he was now five years old. He had enjoyed the party that had been thrown for him, and he was talking about starting kindergarten now.

"Mommy." Lucas said softly.

"Yes honey?" Jesse asked as she leaned back against the glider and studied her oldest child, the one that she was sure she could never do enough for to make up for how horrible the first four years of his life were. Well, at the moment his life wasn't much of a picnic either with someone wanting to kill his mother and that was putting him in the line of fire as well.

"Will school be fun?" Lucas asked nervously.

"Sure honey, kindergarten is pretty fun. You get to play on the playground and make friends with other kids your age and once you do that you get to have birthday parties as you grow older with all your friends there." Jesse said as she reached out and pushed some of Lucas's hair out of his face. He was insisting on growing his hair out longer, and Jesse blamed Slater for that one. So far, Lucas had refused to allow his parents to take him to get it cut short at all, if they took him it was only for a small trim.

"Do I have to wear a…um…a…"Lucas seemed confused as he scrunched up his face and tried to think of the word.

"Do you have to wear a uniform? Is that what you are trying to ask me?" Jesse asked her son with a smile on her face. Sometimes Lucas acted so grown up that she forgot he was only five years old. He was super excited that come September he would be starting kindergarten, now that it was spring time and all. Jesse had lost track of the time with everything that had been going with her pregnancy, the man trying to kill her and trying to make sure that her son had a safe and happy life now that he was no longer alone and in foster care. She hated that her maternal instinct hadn't told her that her son was still alive and she would always question her instinct when it came to her kids from now on, but she was grateful that he was with her and Slater now and that he had a baby sister and that Kelly and Zack had a little boy that Lucas considered his baby brother as well.

"Yes, a…um… what you said." Lucas said with a sheepish smile on his face.

"Well, it depends on what school we enroll you in. If we move to that new house, than yes a uniform could be necessary but we would be living closer to your Uncle Zack and your Aunt Kelly and your little baby cousin. If we stay here, then it's very possible you won't need a uniform, but the school is currently voting on that so that could change before your school year starts honey." Jesse said, wondering if Lucas even understood what she was even saying.

"Okay." Lucas shrugged and turned and started to walk away but apparently thought of something else. "I love you mommy." He said softly.

"I love you to honey.' Jesse said, as her eyes watered and she realized that it had been a long time that she had been waiting to hear those words from Lucas's mouth again. He had only really said them one time, and he had seemed like he hadn't meant to say them so she didn't really think they had counted, but these ones did.

* * *

Slater knew that everyone was worried about when this creep was going to try and strike again, and he was at the top of that list. Jesse was very vulnerable and scared and she was worried that their kids would become targets, if they weren't already. Slater knew that Jesse would sacrifice her own life in an instant to protect Lucas and their new little girl. Slater just couldn't let them do that. Sighing, he continued to paint the nursery, now that he had gotten Jesse to agree on a name he was painting it on the walls, which meant that their little girl wasn't going anywhere near her room for a while. Once the paint dried, they would need to air out the room so there weren't any fumes and they could only do that when Slater was in the room since they didn't leave windows or anything open without someone in the room to make sure Lucas didn't go through it or that someone didn't try to use it to get into their home.

"Hey, wow, so is that the name?" Zack asked as he walked into the room with Screech.

"Yea." Slater answered with a goofy grin on his face.

"I think it's a great name." Zack said as he handed Slater a cold bottle of beer and the three men stood back and admired the work Slater had done on the wall with the name and the artwork he stenciled around it.

"She's going to grow up special." Screech added his two cents.

The guys left the room and found Lucas wondering around, clearly bored. Slater scooped up the five year old with a wink and they all headed for his den, where it had everything men would need to hang out, including video games and game tables. There was even it's on fridge and bar, something that Slater was shocked about when Jesse had shown off the project she had been doing with Lisa, since Kelly had been busy being pregnant at the time. Now, all the guys hung out there while the women hung out together as well, it was their time apart but safely in the same house in case something happened.

"Want something to drink Luc?" Zack asked as he smiled at the boy he considered his nephew.

"Yes!" Lucas said seeing all his favorite men with something in their hands. After Zack handed Lucas a cold bottle of apple juice, something that Jesse and Slater had thought up thinking it would make Lucas feel more like he belonged, Lucas's eyes lit up with happiness at being included with the grown men.

"This is guys time." Screech said and they all laughed at how excited Lucas became at being included in guys time.

* * *

Jesse could tell that her friends were all curious about her daughters name, and she couldn't blame them. It had taken her and Slater a while to finally agree on what their daughter's name should really be and Jesse was glad that they had finally agreed on a name, and in fact it was Lucas that really helped them make the final decision, something they were happy to say because it made Lucas feel like he was a big part of his sister and that was what they wanted him to feel.

"Spill it now girl!" Lisa said, clearly impatient.

Kelly patted her son's back, getting him to burp before going back to feeding him again. "Come on, tell us what our little niece will be called for the rest of her life." Kelly added with a smile of excitement of her own.

"Well, our little girl's name is…" Jesse trailed off with a grin as her two friends groaned and Jesse rocked with her precious bundle in her arms. She had seen her other precious little one going with the guys into Slater's 'Man Cave'. "Riley Marie Slater."


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Jesse looked over at Lucas who was fast asleep on the couch. She had noticed he was having nightmares lately, so when he took his nap during the day he often preferred to sleep on the couch, and Jesse let him because it was easier for her while she was taking care of Riley. Slater was at work, now that he and the guys had found a job out there that they really liked and even Lisa was working. Kelly and Jesse were both looking into what types of jobs they might want to do, but neither was sure when they were going to want to go back to work with their infants at home, and Jesse wasn't sure how Lucas would take it if she went back to work after all he had already been through.

After she changed Riley's diaper she gently put her in a little seat that allowed Riley to see her while Jesse worked in the kitchen. She was getting everything out for dinner and trying to decide what it was she really wanted to make. Jesse knew that Slater was working in a very physical type of job and so he would be hungry when he got home, and Jesse loved the thought of them having a normal life. No one had heard from the stalker guy lately, and that was something that was helping the Slater family out. Jesse wasn't sure if he had really backed off or if something had happened and he had been forced to back off or maybe he was just lying low for a while, whatever the case was, she was glad that they could have a somewhat normal life and give Lucas some time to be in a normal family, especially before he started school.

As she worked on dinner she smiled when Lucas walked into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and yawning. He walked over to his chair at the table and climbed into it, watching her quietly. Jesse got his favorite sippy cup out of the fridge and set it on the table in front of him. Then she went and grabbed the snack she had made before she started dinner and set it in front of him. As Lucas ate, she watched him glance back and forth between her and Riley and she wondered what was going through his mind.

"Did you have a good nap honey?" Jesse asked him.

"Yes mama." Lucas nodded his head as he took a sip of his milk.

"Good, I am glad." Jesse said as she continued to chop up the peppers and onions.

"What are we having for dinner?" Lucas asked softly.

"Well, I thought we could have that chicken dish you liked so much." Jesse said as she winked at her son. The dish had a very long and difficult name for a four year old, so they just called it that chicken dish instead. Lucas thought it was hilarious that the meal didn't have a name, when they always talked about the names of things they ate, like Taco's or Meatballs. Jesse had enjoyed making things for her son, and she knew he really loved to try new things when she had time or was in the mood to try something different, he wasn't that picky at all.

* * *

He wasn't sure whether to laugh or be angry. He knew they were all thinking he was gone for good, but that was so far from the truth it wasn't even funny. He knew that he needed a new plan after the whole hospital fiasco, and he was planning hard on what to do. He knew that the best thing to do after you botched a job was to lie low and let the heat die down, and that was what he was doing at the moment. He wasn't going to let any chances to make Jessica Spannow-Slater pay, and he was going to make sure that she understood that. She could have been so happy, and she could have been free of this torment, if she had only done what she was told to begin with, they wouldn't be having any of these problems, none at all in fact.

He wasn't sure what he should do with the pictures in front of him. He had hung them up on his wall so that he could stare at them and use them to think of new ideas, but they were only bugging and taunting him now. With the reality being that he couldn't touch them at the moment, he had to back off and let them fall into a false sense of security, but he knew that it wasn't going to be over, not by a long shot.

"I will make you pay one day, and it will be on a day you least expect it, when you think that everything is fine.' He snapped at the pictures of all of the people close to Jesse and Jesse herself. He was going to make her pay, and he was going to make everyone around her pay, in a very slow and painful way. "You are going to regret messing with me."

* * *

Slater was sitting at the table with Zack and Screech on either side of him. Jesse had invited everyone over for dinner that night, and it had been great to get together with everyone again. Slater knew that Jesse was still a little jumpy and he couldn't really blame her, since all seemed to be settling down on the danger front, at least for the moment. Slater knew that Zack was often on high alert, just in case that creep decided to hurt Jesse by going over there and doing something to Kelly or the baby. Slater knew that it was hurting his wife to know that their friends were constantly on alert and had their guard up, all because of her in her eyes.

"How is she doing?" Zack asked, knowing a lot more about Jesse than anyone else.

"Still freaked and feeling guilty. I know it's hard for her to let Lucas be and she hates having Riley out of her sight. She believes this guy will come into the house and hurt the kids, and I hate seeing her with dark circles and bags under her eyes because she feels like if she isn't awake and checking on them, then we could lose them and I would hate her for it." Slater said as he rubbed at the back of his neck with worry.

"Things were get back to full normal once a lot more time has passed and she realizes this guy has finally moved on." Zack said as he glanced into the house from their position on the deck and saw all the women sitting in the living room area, the two infants asleep in their little seats and Lucas was quietly reading his books in his special chair. Zack was glad that things were becoming the way they should be, and that everyone had decided to stay in Hawaii for now. There was still a chance that they could finally move back to California, but at the moment they loved their homes and they wanted to stay there.

"I really hope so." Slater said as he glanced into the house himself, smiling at his family and friends. This was the dream he had, had about what he wanted with Jesse for so long, and now it was coming true and he felt so blessed.

* * *

It wasn't going to be long, but it would be too long in his eyes. He couldn't take the chance, he had to make them all pay, and even though he was going away for now, if he had a chance in the future to hurt them all, he was going to take it.

"When you let your guard down, that's when I will strike and the destruction I will leave in my path will bring nothing but pain to your heart and soul!" He said as he grinned and then finished putting away everything that had anything to do with his plot.


	53. Chapter 53

Authors Note:

Okay everyone I just wanted to let you know that I am so sorry it's taken me so long to get any of my updates posted, but I have been really really sick lately. I haven't been able to do much, and my illness has gotten progressively worse, so it takes a lot for me to even clear my mind enough to think through my medications. So if it's not my best work, I really do apologize but at the moment it's hard for me to really think and I didn't want to leave you all hanging with nothing, so I thought a little something was better than nothing and hopefully I can get a tiny bit better, since I know getting all better probably won't happen, and I can write better chapters for you all.

Please bear with me and please cut me some slack…I will try and make the chapters better soon and hopefully post them a lot faster than I have been!

Thanx,

Kris

* * *

Chapter 53

3 months later…

Jesse was laughing as she watched the way Lucas was gently playing with his baby sister. They had gone through a rough patch where he had been jealous of Riley and had thought that she was going to replace him now that she was there. It had taken both Jesse and Slater to convince their little boy that there was nothing in the world that could replace him in their family and that he was just as much a member of the family as Riley was and that they both loved him more than anything in the world. Eventually he had started to settle down and realize that bringing a new baby into the family wasn't done to replace him, but to add to their family and also give him a sibling. Lucas was now super attached to Riley and made it clear that if anyone tried to hurt his baby sister ever, he was going to hurt them instead. It made Jesse's heart soar with happiness to know that her son was finally understanding he was part of this family, permanently and to see his protectiveness of his little sister only added to what she was feeling.

Jesse glanced up as Kelly walked into the backyard with her son and Lisa was not too far behind. They all kept their doors locked still, but they each had keys to each other's places and no one was really expected to knock, but they usually called ahead of time to let the others know they were heading to their houses. Jesse waited till Kelly had settled her son over with Lucas and Riley and then they all started to talk together while watching how protective and caring Lucas was towards his little 'cousin'.

"Lucas has decided as the oldest he is the one that has to be in charge of the babies." Jesse said with a slight chuckle and a shake of her head.

"It's so cute the way he just accepts Jr. as part of the family and is protective of him just as much as he is of his own sister." Kelly said in awe of the way the three of them seemed to love being around each other.

Even though both Riley and Jr. were still just infants, it was clear that they loved and were attached to Lucas. Every time they were with him they were laughing and giggling and playing with him, wanting his full attention on them and them alone. They were all aware that even though Lucas a few years older than the two little ones, the three of them would be super close, at least until Lucas entered high school or something and started wanting to stick with older kids and away from the younger ones. Jesse just hoped that when that happened, Lucas was still spending at least a little bit of time with the younger kids.

* * *

Slater took a sip of his drink as he sat at the lunch table with Zack and Screech. The three of them had opted to hang out on their lunch breaks from their prospective jobs. Slater and Zack had known that Screech was starting to feel a little lonely, with Lisa dating one of her co workers, Screech felt like he was the only person who couldn't find anyone. Slater and Zack had been trying to figure out who they could try and set their friend up on a date with. As they all sat there, Slater noticed the sly looks that Screech was sending to one of the waitresses and he nudged at Zack and secretly motioned for him to watch. The two of them could tell that Screech really liked the young woman, and on top of that, it seemed she thought something of him as well, if the way she was looking at their table, and at Screech, was anything to go by.

"Why don't you go talk to her?" Zack asked his friend.

"I'm probably not her type. I am not anyone's type at all." Screech said, shaking his head and looking at the food on his plate in front of him.

"You never know unless you try." Slater pointed out. "She keeps looking at you, just like you look at her. At least go over and say hi, you don't have to…" Slater stopped what he was saying when he noticed the waitress heading to their table.

"Hello there." The waitress, whose name tag stated that her name was Katie said with a smile. "My name is Katie…" She looked towards Screech and a blush streaked across her face, making it clear she really was staring at him.

"My name is Zack, this is Slater and this is our good, single, friend Screech." Zack said with a smile and pat on Screech's back.

"Look, I don't normally do this, but I was just wondering if you would, I don't know, maybe think about, um, going, um…" Katie stopped for a second, knowing she was rambling and her cheeks were turning a bit of a darker shade of red. "My sister is throwing this barbecue this weekend and I was wondering if you would go with me." Katie finally blurted out to Screech.

"Me?" Screech asked, his eyes widening. "Really?"

"Yes. I mean, if you don't want to you don't have to…" Katie said biting her lip nervously.

"Sure, I'll go." Screech said when Zack nudged him hard in the side.

"Great." Katie said about to turn away.

"Um… maybe you two should exchange phone numbers." Slater interjected before she left.

"Oh, right." Katie said with a nervous laugh. After she had given Screech her number and taken down his, she went back to work at her tables and the guys started to lightly tease Screech, like they used to. In reality they couldn't be happier that someone had shown an interest in their friend. He was a little quirky at times, but he had a good heart and that was something that people usually didn't give him a chance to show.

* * *

He knew that they were getting more and more comfortable. He knew that they were starting to move on with their lives and they were so sure that he wasn't going to be around, that he wasn't going to hurt them or get near them any longer, but they were wrong. He had been working for the past few months on what his next move was going to be, and he was pretty sure he knew what it was. He was soon going to make sure that all of them leaned a hard lesson, and if it meant that he was going to have to hurt the kids, he had no problems with that. This wasn't just about Jesse anymore, because they made sure it wasn't. If they had just stayed out of it and let him do what he needed to do, then there wouldn't be any problems, now they were all going to pay.

He had been working on the notes and letters that he was going to give them. He had the special gifts all ready, and he knew the damage his little gifts were going to cause. He was aware that some of them may even cause death, but that wasn't his problem, it was theirs.

"Soon, soon I will succeed and you will learn that no one ever wins when they play my game! I predict a lot of upcoming funerals, and that I might possibly succeed in getting some of you to divorce each other, but the best part, I might be able to send one of you to jail for my crimes!" He laughed as he looked at his latest photo's. He had put everything back in it's place, but with updated information. It wouldn't be long now, soon he was going to end this the right way, the way the last person hadn't been able to end it. Soon, Jesse could either be dead or in jail! If she lived, she would wish she were dead, every single day, he was going to make sure of it.


End file.
